Library shut after meth found on seats and in air ducts, Colorado city says

A major public library in Colorado was forced to close after tests found “meth contamination” in air ducts and various areas in the building, according to officials.

The city of Boulder announced it was temporarily closing its main library on Dec. 20 when methamphetamine residue was located inside the air ducts of at least six public restrooms, and more widespread testing was needed to gauge the scale of the problem.

“The testing stems from a recent spike in reports of individuals smoking in public restrooms over the past four weeks,” a release said. “On two occasions, city employees were evaluated and cleared of ongoing health concerns after experiencing symptoms consistent with a potential exposure to meth residue or fumes.”

Following two more rounds of testing, officials said most of the meth was found in bathrooms across the library, and a few busy seating areas on the south side of the building, according to a Dec. 28 statement.

Exposure to meth contamination generally happens through touch, not through air, officials said. The standards and regulations the testing follows was designed for areas where repeated exposure is likely, such as homes where meth is being manufactured.

”Symptoms of exposure to low levels of methamphetamine contamination can include headache, nausea, dizziness and fatigue,” the library release said.

“The restrooms and these seating areas will need to undergo professional remediation before they can be made accessible to the public,” the city said, adding that the exposed seating will likely be replaced with new furniture that can be well-cleaned regularly.

While the library could reopen by Jan. 3, there are currently no plans to reopen restrooms to the public, and officials are discussing ways to make them more secure.

The city plans to share the results of the tests in the coming days, a release said.