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Resources for Local Health Departments

Pursuant to Ind. Code 5-2-15-3, the Indiana State Police is required to provide a Clandestine Laboratory Occurrence Report of illegal drug lab activity to the local county health department in which the property is located.

Local Health Department Role:

  • Protects public health by ensuring that contaminated properties remain vacant until they are properly remediated.
  • Interprets the Clandestine Laboratory Occurrence Reports to determine if orders need to be issued to vacate and remediate homes.
  • If necessary, declares dwellings unfit for human habitation due to an unsanitary condition that is likely to cause sickness among occupants.
  • If necessary, declares a property has unlawful conditions which require the owner to abate the conditions.
  • Works with law enforcement and other professional partners to find additional sites potentially in need of abatement.
  • If necessary, samples to determine if additional sites also need abatement or if questions persist about a Qualified Inspector's compliance with 410 IAC 38.
  • Rescinds the declaration of unfit for human habitation once the property has been properly addressed by a Qualified Inspector and the documentation has been approved by the IDOH.

Legal Authority:

  • IC 16-41-20: Chapter 20. Health, Sanitation, and Safety: Dwellings Unfit for Human Habitation
  • IC 16-20-1-23: Inspection of Private Property by local health officer; consent by owner; exceptions; court order; property in which officer has interest.
  • IC 16-20-1-25: Unlawful conditions; abatement order; enforcement; providing false information.

Sampling:

It is not recommended that public health officials sample sites for which there is a Clandestine Laboratory Occurrence Report for an operational lab. Assume properties having operational labs are contaminated. For those properties without a report that require sampling:

Sampling

Interpreting the Results:

  • Indiana’s final decontamination standard is ≤ 0.5ug/100cm2.
  • Any individual sample exceeding the standard reflects that the property is contaminated and requires decontamination and re-testing.

Additional Resources: