Police Chief Wants Restitution from Meth Labs

Cuyahoga Falls Chief Thomas Pozza wants to make operators of meth labs and homeowners to pay for the cost of removing hazardous waste from sites after a police raid.

Appearing before the City Council Public Affairs Committee meeting Monday, Pozza said, “I don’t think that it’s fair that citizens have to pay for cleanup.”  

The development stems from the prospect of losing funding for cleanup of the hazardous materials that are a byproduct of manufacturing crystal methamphetamine. Pozza said federal funding has been eliminated for the site cleanups, which cost $1,000 to $2,000 per site, and in the near future a Summit County fund will stop paying for the cleanup. A pool of Ohio funding has dried up as well.

Pozza said 10 meth labs have been raided in Cuyahoga Falls this year, including a so-called "one-pot" lab operated in a car. The meth labs typically have highly toxic and potentially explosive chemicals contaminate the sites, which require immediate cleanup of the toxic materials. Further remediation is required to make the space livable

Council members expressed concern that landlords could get stuck with the bill for their tenants' illegal activity. 

The committee voted 3-0 to bring the ordinance before the full council at the Oct. 24 meeting.