The ATS – Fully Guaranteed – Meth Testing Process

Active Testing Solutions is one of New Zealand’s leading methamphetamine testing companies. The processes and methodologies that ATS has developed alongside the exceptional customer service and guarantees that are offered has made ATS a household name. Just take a look at these reviews!

Every test that is conducted and every decision that is made is measured against Our Mission to Keep Kiwi Homes Safe. This allows us to quickly assess the best way forward for clients, as the advice provided by our trained and professional team, will always be anchored in ensuring that the property is certified as safe.

In September 2017, the New Zealand Standards committee released NZS8510:2017 a standard which governs the meth testing industry. The reason that ATS has the ability to offer such exceptional guarantees is because every test that we conduct and every piece of advice offered by our trained and professional team is directly linked to this very important document.

One of the reasons that ATS is so sought after for P Testing is the guarantees that we offer. Not only does ATS carry multi million dollar insurance cover, which fully protects our clients, but we also guarantee that a company Director will appear at any court or tribunal situation right there along side the property manager or owner in support of the testing conducted. It is this level of support and commitment to what we do that has makes ATS so special.

Your Trusted Methamphetamine Testing Partner

  • Laboratory Based Testing
  • Market Leading Reporting
  • Most Advanced Baseline Test Available in NZ Today
  • NIOSH9111 Testing Standards
  • No Association with Remediation Companies
  • Fully Trained & Qualified Staff
  • Fully Independent Third Party
  • Fully Guaranteed Results
  • Directors Guarantee
  • Multi-Million Dollar Insurance Cover

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Our Meth Tests

Active Testing Solutions sets the GOLD STANDARD in methamphetamine testing. We hold ourselves accountable to the highest possible standards of sample collection and laboratory analysis. We work to NIOSH9111 and the recently released NZS8510 requirements. We offer the highest baseline testing and secondary testing available anywhere in New Zealand today.

Screening Assessment Test

We have developed the highest baseline testing option available anywhere in New Zealand. Individual samples are taken from every room (including hallways) throughout the property. Theses samples are then sent to our laboratory partners where part of each sample is combined in our state of the art ISO accredited laboratories to test for any methamphetamine contamination. This test delivers a composite result. The key factor here is that if the property returns a contaminated result, we do not need to come back to site to retest the samples as our laboratory partners will hold the remainder of the individual samples for 30 days.

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Individual Screening Assessment Test

This test is used either as the follow on test to the Screening Assessment Test, or it is used as the starting point when there is some reason to believe that the property may be contaminated and as such the owner does not want to pay for a composite test in the first instance. While still a screening test, this test sees us taking samples from every room (including hallways) which are then individually tested by our laboratory partners. Effectively we have established a newly developed test which allows clients to utilise individual testing as a screening test option where they have some reason to believe contamination is present.

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Detailed Assessment Test

This is the most in-depth test available anywhere in New Zealand today and is fully compliant with NZS8510 as a standalone secondary methamphetamine test. Samples are taken from every room as well as every 10m2, or part thereof, throughout the property. For example, if a bedroom was 13m2, then we would need to take two samples from that room. This test is used when there is complete certainty that the property is contaminated and is usually used as a follow up to our Screening Test Options. The report produced from the Detailed Assessment Test is then used by the specialist remediators that you select to decontaminate the property.

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Post Remediation Test

If methamphetamine contamination was discovered on site, then you will need to have the property professionally remediated. We highly recommend that work with your insurer to select a specialist remediation company. Following the remediation work, we will need to retest the property to ensure contamination has been completely removed. Under the newly released standard, NZS8510 we are able to specifically focus on retesting only those areas throughout the property, that had previously produced contaminated results. Within the areas that require retesting, we will take one sample every 10m2 as per the NZS8510 requirements.

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Here’s How It Works

1. Booking

ATS uses a state of the art booking system, but we understand that sometimes you just want to talk to a human being. With this in mind, you have the option of either booking your test online, or giving our friendly team a call. If access to the property requires that an agent is contacted, then ATS will make contact and arrange an appropriate time for the testing to occur. Following this, you will receive a confirmation email directly from our booking system which tells you everything that you need to know. If anything changes throughout the process, you will be kept fully up to date.

2. Sample Collection

Our trained and highly professional sample technicians will come to your location, survey the property and conduct the sample collection. At this stage, key aspects of the final report are also collected. This includes creating a floor plan, internal and external pictures of the property and the sample locations, surface types and anything unusual found on site that may indicate that manufacture has taken place. It is important to note that irrespective of the type of test that is being conducted, each swab will only be used once. This not only avoids the risk of cross contamination of the property, but ensures that we have a complete chain of custody from the sample location to the laboratory.

3. Same Day Shipping of Samples

The samples, along with all the necessary chain of custody paper work is then shipped directly to our Hamilton based and industry leading laboratory partners. Our laboratory partners are fully IANZ accredited and the methodology that is used at the labs ensures that all NZS8510:2017 requirements are met.

4. Results

At ATS we understand that this can be a stressful time which is why we take every possible step to get the results back to you as quickly as possible. With this in mind ATS, guarantees a three business day turnaround on all testing done. We do of course also have a next day service available at a small extra charge for those situations where getting the results back quickly means everything. The report that you receive is fully compliant with NZS8510:2017 and includes a full review of results with recommendations, a floor plan depicting sample locations, pictures of the property and the samples taken and a copy of the laboratory results.

5. Meth Is Found - What Now?

Firstly, don’t panic. ATS will walk you through every step of the process. First we will lay out exactly what the process that you may face will look like. Remember that at this early stage, the next steps can be very different and depend on the level of contamination discovered. ATS will also speak to any third party that you need us to. This often means talking to insurance companies, solicitors, landlords (when we have been working with the property manager) and any other person that you would like us to discuss the results with. We see this aspect of educating the client with exactly what the process will look like as extremely important. In our experience, providing you with the knowledge that you need, will significantly reduce the stress of dealing with meth contamination.

Why Test For Meth?

New Zealand is facing a crisis. Meth, more commonly referred to as P is an epidemic sweeping our nation. It is used by people from all walks of life, from habitual drug users to high level execs and everyone in between. There is no single demographic that is safe from this awful addiction. There have even been recent cases of some undesirable trades people using the drug while building new houses, meaning that the houses are becoming contaminated as they are being built.

Traditionally meth was produced in houses, often referred to as P-Labs. However we are now seeing meth being manufactured in a number of places including campervans, motorhomes, motel and hotel rooms. It is estimated that the people producing meth are becoming so sophisticated that they can manufacture the drug in just a few hours. This means that nowhere is safe. It is for this reason that we are encouraging hotels and motels in particular to introduce periodic testing of their rooms to ensure their patrons health and wellbeing.

Health Risks

Meth can affect people differently. However here are a few of the more common health related issues.

  • Lack of ability to sleep or even rest
  • Hyper active behavior becoming a normal state
  • Severe allergic reactions
  • Migraines, headaches, nausea and dizziness
  • Respiratory issues
  • Hard to concentrate for long periods
  • Severely compromised immune system
  • Cause rashes and burns

Safety

No matter how you look at it, meth is a drug made from seriously harmful chemicals.

  • Anti-freeze
  • Solvents (the actual solvents used often vary)
  • Precursor drugs (some of which can be bought over the counter from pharmacies)
  • Sulphuric Acid
  • Hydrochloric Acid
  • Lithium (note that this is the substance found in batteries)
  • Sodium Hydroxide

Financial

Yes, there is a financial outlay to having a meth test, but the benefits far outweigh the cost.

  • The cost of remedial work can reach into the hundreds of thousands.
  • Add value to your rental property by ensuring the property is meth free.
  • Expedite selling your home by showing your home is meth free.
  • Promote your hotel by highlighting the fact that your establishment is regularly tested.

Cross Contamination – The Risks and How To Avoid Them

Cross contamination is a real risk and something that needs to be carefully managed. There are two types of cross contamination risks that you should be aware of. Firstly, cross contamination between properties and secondly cross contamination of various areas within your property. Active Testing Solutions has developed a set of Standard Operating Procedures which guarantee that we avoid both of these pitfalls, meaning that our clients are fully protected every step of the way.

Our Standard Operating Procedures have been developed to address each of these risks. Firstly we will discuss the avoidance of cross contamination between properties. We achieve this by strict adherence to our Personal Protective Equipment policy. Prior to entering any property our collection technicians will don their base level gear. This is:

  1. Shoe covers – we will never step on site without first covering our shoes with brand new shoe covers. This ensures that there is no risk of contamination being brought onto site from previous sites that have been visited.
  2. Gloves – no surface will be touched without first donning a new pair of gloves. Again this ensures that there is no risk of contamination from external sources.
  3. Paper Overalls – whenever there is reason to believe that a property may be contaminated, no staff will enter the property without first donning brand new paper overalls and respiratory protection. While protecting our staff, this also ensures that there is no risk of contamination between high risk properties.
  4. Surface Contamination – when performing methamphetamine testing, there are a number of “tools of the trade” that are used. These tools of course need to be placed on the property. In order to avoid cross contamination all tools are placed on disposable surface covers. This means that no tools used on site will come into direct contact with any surfaces on site.

Collectively these procedures ensure that there is zero risk of cross contamination between sites.

Step two is to ensure zero cross contamination of each sample site within the property. Our Standard Operating Procedures ensure that there is zero risk of cross contamination on site.The key method of achieving this is to ensure that none of the tools that are used for Sample 1 are used for Sample 2, Sample 3 etc. This picture illustrates each component that is used for each sample. As you can see we have individual gloves, sizing tool and vial for each sample that is taken. This means that there is zero risk of cross contamination of sample sites within the property.

Each of these items are discarded following each sample being taken. This ensures that we can consistently offer our Gold Standard fully guaranteed testing process. There is no substitution for excellence and it is our commitment to Gold Standard that sets us apart from our competition.

Our mission is to positively impact the entire methamphetamine testing industry by raising the bar of what customers should expect from their testing providers. Give us a call today and find out what it’s like to deal with New Zealand’s leading methamphetamine testing company.

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