Persons who carry out the following meth testing and decontamination tasks must do these according to the relevant sections of the New Zealand Standard 8510:2017 Testing and decontamination of methamphetamine-contaminated properties (“NZS 8510:2017”). This includes modifications as set out in the Residential Tenancies (Managing Methamphetamine Contamination) Regulations 2026 (the Regulations).  

• screening assessments for meth
• detailed testing for meth
• decontamination of meth residue.

Testing and decontamination of methamphetamine-contaminated properties – New Zealand Standards(external link)

If you are not sure if you can screen, test or decontaminate a property according to these standards as modified by the Regulations, you should consider hiring a qualified professional to do this for you.

Screening assessments

Screening assessments must be carried out in line with section 3.2 of NZS 8510:2017. This includes Table 1, sections 7.1 and 7.3, and Appendices A and B of the standard, to the extent they apply to section 3.2.

This section of NZS 8510:2017 is subject to certain modifications in the Regulations:

Anyone can carry out the screening assessment

The requirement for a trained ‘screening sampler’ to carry out the screening assessment does not apply. Any person can carry out the screening assessment.

Whenever this section of NZS 8510:2017 refers to a ‘screening sampler’, this must be read as any person who is carrying out the screening assessment.

If a person is being paid to carry out the screening assessment:

• that person must still meet the competency requirement as set out in section 7.1 of NZS 8510:2017, and
• that person must be separate from anyone who will carry out decontamination work for the same property.

Some persons who are paid to carry out the screening assessment may not meet the competency requirements in section 7.1. These persons are still considered to meet the requirements if:

• they are suitably qualified or experienced
• they are employed or authorised to work on behalf of an AZ/NZS ISO/IEC 17020 accredited inspection body, or 
• they are employed or authorised to work on behalf of an NZS ISO/IEC accredited laboratory.

NIOSH field tests cannot be used for screening assessments

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) field composite testing is not an approved sampling technique for screening assessments.

Some sections of the NZS 8510:2017 standard do not apply

Sections 3.2.1, 3.2.5 and 3.2.6(i) of NZS 8510:2017 do not apply for the purpose of screening assessments.

Instead of the provisions set out in Section 3.2.6(i) of the standard, the screening assessment report must include a conclusion. This conclusion should advise whether the results of the screening assessment indicate that the premises are contaminated with meth.

Detailed testing

Detailed testing must be carried out in line with section 3.3 of NZS 8510:2017. This includes Table 1, sections 7.2 and 7.3, and Appendix A of the standard, to the extent they apply to section 3.3.

Only qualified professionals can perform detailed testing. These professionals must not be the same persons as those who will carry out decontamination, or have carried out the decontamination prior to testing. 

This section of NZS 8510:2017 is subject to certain modifications in the Regulations:

The maximum acceptable meth residue level is 15µg/100cm²

The limits in the NZS 8510:2017 standard must be read as the maximum acceptable level of methamphetamine for premises, which is 15µg/100cm² (micrograms per hundred square centimetres).

Some sections of the NZS 8510:2017 standard do not apply

Sections 3.3.5 and 3.3.8.2(e)(i) to (iii) do not apply for the purpose of detailed testing.

Decontamination

Decontamination work must be carried out in line with section 4 of NZS 8510:2017.

This section of NZS 8510:2017 is subject to certain modifications in the Regulations:

The maximum acceptable meth residue level is 15µg/100cm²

The limits in the NZS 8510:2017 standard must be read as the maximum acceptable level of methamphetamine for premises, which is 15µg/100cm².

Landlords, contractors or others can carry out decontamination work

Under regulation 11(1) of the Regulations, landlords may either carry out decontamination work for their properties, or engage any other person to carry out this work.

Whenever this section of NZS 8510:2017 refers to a 'decontamination contractor', this must be read as any person who is carrying out the decontamination work. This can be either the landlord themselves, or any other person (such as a contractor) engaged by the landlord to perform decontamination whether they are a professional or not.

If the landlord is paying a contractor to carry out decontamination work, that contractor must be separate from anyone who is carrying out screening assessments or detailed testing for the same property.

The persons carrying out decontamination work must take adequate safety precautions when entering a contaminated property. This includes wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment depending on site conditions. These persons are not required to be trained in health and safety measures.

Some sections of the NZS 8510:2017 standard do not apply

Sections 4.3.1(c), 4.3.2(j), 4.3.4 and 4.3.10(d) of NZS 8510:2017 do not apply for the purpose of decontamination work.

The provisions relating to carpets that are set out in Section 4.3.2 of the standard also do not apply. Instead, if carpets and other soft furnishings (such as curtains) provided by the landlord as part of the tenancy agreement are contaminated above the limits in the standard:

• these carpets and other soft furnishings must be vacuumed using a HEPA-filter vacuum and then steam cleaned, if they are capable of being decontaminated and retained.
• these carpets and other soft furnishings must be removed and disposed of, if they cannot be decontaminated to below the limits in the standard.

Completing decontamination

Post-decontamination testing must be carried out in line with section 5 of NZS 8510:2017. This includes section 7.3 and Appendices A and B of the standard, to the extent they apply to section 5.

This section of NZS 8510:2017 is subject to certain modifications in the Regulations.

After decontamination work has taken place, a qualified professional must carry out detailed testing of the property again. This must not be the same person who carried out the decontamination work.

This detailed testing is intended to confirm that meth residue levels are no longer above the limits in the NZS 8510:2017 standard. These limits must be read as the maximum acceptable level of methamphetamine for premises, which is 15µg/100cm².

If meth residue levels are still above 15µg/100cm², additional rounds of decontamination and detailed testing need to take place.

The clearance report and clearance certificate as set out in section 5.6 of the NZS 8510:2017 standard is not required.