Pikes Peak Library District completes testing for meth residue at three busiest locations

Debbie Kelley, The Gazette (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
·2 min read

Feb. 9—Testing of several restrooms in the Pikes Peak Library District system for methamphetamine contamination has been completed and results should be released next week, spokeswoman Denise Abbott said Thursday.

Instead of swabbing all 53 public restrooms at its 15 branches, the library district chose to screen bathrooms at the three locations that have the highest usage, which are the East Library, Library 21c and Penrose Library, she said.

State authorities currently do not have standards or guidelines for assessing contamination levels in public restrooms.

The library chose to test a sampling of its facilities after consulting with a state-certified vendor, El Paso County Public Health and other Colorado libraries that recently conducted preliminary assessments for contamination of the illegal stimulant drug, Abbott said.

At least four Colorado public libraries have had to temporarily close and perform mitigation since Dec. 20, after the main library in Boulder detected high levels of residue of the toxic substance in the air ducts of six bathrooms.

The environmental testing was done voluntarily, following numerous reports of people smoking in public restrooms, officials said in a news release.

The Boulder Public Library has since reopened, but the public restrooms remain closed for cleaning and remediation, according to its website.

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The Englewood Public Library closed on Jan. 11, saying exhaust vents "exceeded state thresholds for methamphetamine contamination," the Bemis Library in Littleton closed Jan. 18, and the Arvada Library in Jefferson County closed Jan. 28 — all due to elevated levels of the presence of meth in public bathrooms.

The Boulder Regional Transportation District also shut down its downtown station bathroom after detecting meth residue.

The findings from other libraries in Colorado prompted Pikes Peak Library District officials to "proactively screen public restrooms for methamphetamine contamination," Abbot said, "out of a commitment to the safety of our staff and patrons."

KEMWest Inc., a state-certified vendor, collected samples from the local libraries in early February, she said.

At this time, all library locations remain open and safe to visit, Abbott said.

Research shows that prolonged exposure to methamphetamine can be harmful, but health risks from brief secondary exposure are low.

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