Meth Container Program

Georgia Authorized Central Storage (ACS) Program for Clandestine Drug Laboratory Response

Purpose

Prior to 2012, clandestine laboratory cleanup was facilitated through a grant program administered by the DEA.  This program provided funding for private contractors to collect, transport, and dispose of hazardous materials and waste encountered by law enforcement agencies at clandestine lab sites.  In January of 2012, responsibility for clean-up expenses shifted back to local law enforcement agencies when the DEA program ended.  As a stop-gap measure, the Georgia Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) established a state administered CJCC grant program to facilitate lab clean-up services.  This program is administered by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and will expire in approximately March of 2015. The program is characterized by traditional clean-up response approach involving a private contractor responding to each lab site to provide clean-up and dispose of all hazardous substances.  Given that cleanup and disposal costs exceeded $600,000.00 in Georgia during 2012, the CJCC grant program administered by the GBI is not sustainable.   DEA grant funding has been reinstated at approximately half the level in existence prior to 2012.  To make this work, a different approach to lab cleanup was necessary.  Given that the majority of labs experienced in Georgia are now “one-pot” labs, an alternate, sustainable method of dealing with labs was created in the form of the Authorized Central Storage (ACS) program.

FAQ about METH Container Program  (Click here for more information)

The New Program (Spring of 2015)                  

The answer comes in the form of what is commonly referred to as an Authorized Central Storage (ACS) program.  With a central storage program, hazardous materials storage containers are placed with host agencies throughout the state for the purpose of consolidating and storing materials from clandestine labs.  Under this model, a “clean-up” contractor is not called to each and every lab site.  In lieu of this, hazardous materials are packaged and transported to an ACS container.  Once the container is full, it is emptied by a licensed contractor who is paid through the DEA grant.  

Contact: 

Assistant Special Agent in Charge John Cobb
(706) 200-6155

Assistant Special Agent in Charge Stripling Luke
(229) 238-1761