NPR: A Colorado library is closed after meth contamination. What will it take to clean it?

For the second time in as many months, a library in Colorado has temporarily closed its doors to clean up from meth contamination.

The Englewood Public Library in Colorado said it shut its doors last Wednesday after tests showed exhaust vents reflected meth contamination “with levels above state thresholds.”

This comes just weeks after officials in Boulder, about 35 miles northwest of Englewood, closed their main library in December due to contamination from the drug. The library reopened Jan. 9, but bathrooms will remain closed off to visitors.

The tests taken in Englewood on Jan. 6 were done as a proactive measure after the reports from Boulder, the city said in a press release. These test results also showed the restrooms “exceeded state thresholds for methamphetamine contamination.” Other spaces in the library reflected lower levels of contamination, but they will still require specialized cleaning, according to the city.

The American Library Association told NPR in a statement it is aware of the two incidents. “We are unaware of this issue occurring anywhere else in the country, currently or in recent years.”

Because the contamination happened at a public library, cleanup efforts are likely to extensive and a lengthy process, an expert told NPR.

Read the full article @ NPR

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