(Photo submitted) Emergency crew members spent part of their Sunday afternoon going through an old school building southwest of Lake Center in Clay County due to methamphetamine lab remnants. Deputies are asking for the public's assistance regarding any unusual activity seen near the structure.

The toxic residue from a methamphetamine lab required emergency response from Clay County officials Sunday afternoon.

A property owner discovered the possible meth lab in an abandoned schoolhouse in the southwest corner of Lake Center, which is just west of Trumbull Lake in far northeast Clay County. Deputies with the Clay County Sheriff's Office are still trying to find who is behind the cooking operation.

They'd appreciate a call from anyone who noticed suspicious activity near the Lake Center Schoolhouse. Deputies think the lab had been there for less than a week.

"It's pretty run down, it's pretty intrepid," Clay County Sheriff Randy Krukow said of the building. "There's different ways to get in there. Obviously all the windows are out of it."

Meth labs are becoming increasingly rare in the county according to the sheriff. At most, three meth labs have been discovered by deputies in 2008.

"Overall, we've reduced meth labs anywhere from 85 to 90 percent," Krukow said. "However, they're still out there 'smurfing' because we don't have real-time reporting yet."

The state limits the amount of cold medicines that can be purchased in Iowa because certain ingredients in cold medicines are needed in the methamphetamine cooking process. Because of meth concerns, drug stores and other retailers have to keep a log of certain cold medicine purchases as a way to limit access.

"Smurfing" is the process meth suppliers use to get around the limits. They'll go from store-to-store in multiple towns to build up their supply of cold tablets for the cooking process. Krukow would like instant or real-time tracking of cold medicines so that deputies immediately know who is making the purchase.

"Yes, you have to show your ID and your name is there, but we have to physically go out and check with each pharmacy to see how many pill buys there are," Krukow said.

Most pharmacies already have the technology to track and distribute information about medicine purchases electronically.

"Now it's just a matter of allowing it to happen," through state legislation, according to the sheriff.

Clay County Deputies secured the scene near Lake Center. The Meth/Clan Lab Officers from the Clay County Sheriff's Office were called in. Volunteers from Dickens Fire & Rescue, Spencer Fire & Rescue, and the Spencer Hospital Ambulance crew also responded to the scene and assisted.

The sheriff's office also notified the Division of Narcotics Enforcement and the State Fire Marshal's Office. No injuries occurred, evidence was collected to be sent to the DCI Lab for processing and hazardous material was properly disposed of.

Responders also posted a notice on the outside of the building to warn others about toxic residue, which may be inside.