College is a time for experimentation. It’s almost a societal expectation for these budding adults to venture outside their realm of relative comfort and security into the vast unknown world that beckons them forward.
Unfortunately, an alarming number of college students are taking this rite of passage literally and dabbling in homemade chemistry projects outside the classroom that have landed themselves in quite a bit of legal trouble, as well as on the cusp of expulsion.
U.S. Hazmat Rentals help safely secure drug precursors
Take for an example the case of a Mormon college student who was recently found to be in possession of a meth lab in his student housing. The aspiring yet ill-guided chemist swears he was just making homemade soaps via a complicated herbal extraction process. His attorney attests that a Mormon who makes soap is as American as a brewer who makes beer. We will have to take his word on this comparison. Unfortunately, law enforcement didn’t buy the claim either and this scholar is facing quite a bit of legal woes. There’s no way of knowing for sure where this lost student procured his chemicals. A U.S. Hazmat Rental, however, can guarantee that criminals like him don’t find their way to these dangerous chemicals on your job site.
There’s also the case of a University of Central Florida biomedicine tech student who wanted to test his extraction skills by making Molly, a popular party drug that has earned an outright ban by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. This wasn’t the first time or last time that UCF found national notoriety. In that same year, a computer science major was arrested for making methamphetamine and pharmaceutical grade speed in his off-campus housing. Then there was the case of an Arkansas college student who was also arrested for similar shady drug manufacturing activities. It’s a shame that these young students would endanger – allegedly – their futures and waste their talents on such devious actions.
Our non-fire rated chemical storage lockers would be great for university chemistry departments that are looking to lock-up dangerous compounds and prevent students from using these for extracurricular activities.
Storage lockers offer superior chemical protection
While the young men that were mentioned previously thought their actions were of no concern to the general public, they were gravely mistaken. The apartment complexes that housed their drug dens were quarantined and the residents were forced to evacuate as the event required a hazmat response from local authorities. Even though it is unclear where or how the young men obtained the precursors necessary to cook these illicit substances what does remain clear is that drug abuse of all kinds has reached epidemic proportions in America. It is also no surprise that people nationwide who engage in manufacturing activities are obtaining these dangerous chemicals by stealing them from job sites and medical facilities.
A U.S. Hazmat Rental storage locker is a safe and efficient way of making sure dangerous precursors don’t fall into the wrong hands. These are great short-term solutions for viably storing dangerous chemicals that while necessary on the job site, could also be used for less than honest means in a makeshift chemistry lab. The risk of accidental spills and exposure can also carry hefty civil penalties and less than favorable media exposure. Our non-fire rated chemical storage buildings provide safe and effective space for storing nonflammable chemicals like pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers and caustic chemicals. These buildings are also options for storing flammable chemicals provided your designated storage area is located at least 75 feet from other buildings.
Fire-rated storage options
Explosions from meth lab and related precursors are serious matters. Hazmat responses from suspected labs dominate national headlines daily. Don’t let improper storage of industrial chemicals at your job site lead to any loose association with these chemical miscreants. Medical facilities also need to safeguard from prescription medications and other disposable medical waste from landing in the wrong hands.
To protect flammable chemicals from interacting or theft, consider our two-hour and four-hour rated fire protected units. Our rentals will also ensure your company will meet all NFPA and OSHA requirements for your chemical storage needs. Contact us today for a free consultation.
