Meth labs have been found in upscale neighborhoods, made and sold by people one would consider good neighbors. Labs have been found in cars, vans, trucks, abandoned buildings, homes, farms, vacant lots and Kmart restrooms.

The ratio of waste to product is 1 to 6 when producing meth. For every pound of meth, six pounds of hazardous waste is created and disposed of, in such places as as open lots, wooded areas, bathrooms which may or may not lead to septic tanks, bagged and dumped along side roadways, in other peoples trash cans.

Laws such as mandatory sentencing are often the result of fear, harsher penalties equalling less crime...as one man said about the death penalty..."Probably wont deter the next guy, but sure the hell detered that one."

The collateral damages of meth production far exceeds the initial view. It can and does affect every living thing within a wide radius, extremely wide.

The National Jewish Research has performed tests and published some very pertinent information on meth production and the resulting toxic residue which results. They also performed a "smoking" test, to determine the toxic levels of residue.

This information can be read at http://www.natonaljewish.org/new/y2005/meth_research_results.aspx

sorry about the link but in quick reply and not taking time to rewrite at the moment.