A new awareness campaign aimed at helping farmers, ranchers and others identify methamphetamine labs and related chemical dumpsites is being welcomed in rural communities.
"I think anytime we have more eyes out there to try to identify these dumpsites, that's important," said Al Kemmere, reeve of Mountain View County, north of Calgary.
Through the program, and in conjunction with Alberta Agriculture, the RCMP have conducted awareness training of provincial weed inspectors.
They, in turn, have been handing out thousands of information brochures to farmers, meter readers, oilfield inspectors and rural residents.
The brochures provide information on how to identify labs, highly toxic chemical dumpsites and other production byproduct waste.
The largest meth lab bust in the province took place on a Cremona farm, 60 kilometres northwest of Calgary, in 2005.
Several dump sites from that lab were later found along Mountain View County roads.
"If you do see some of these things ( dumpsites ), get away from them and call the police," said RCMP Cpl. Rick Goldstein, who heads K Division's chemical diversion program.
Crystal methamphetamine is a highly addictive and powerful artificial stimulant with many harmful effects, including tremors and death.
