As usual, everything depends.
When you say "meth", do you mean p2p meth or ephedrine meth?
When you say MDMA, do you mean MDA or just MDMA?
Probably certain MDA syntheses are easier than certain p2p meth syntheses, if safrole is available.
For example, although the ephedrine reduction is a one step reaction, obtaining the precursors has become very non-trivial. I think one could consider pill extraction itself to be a multistep synthesis, with all the gaks now put in.
Other routes, to MDMA or MDA, seem so simple, like a pseudonitrosite or bromosafrole method. But they are relatively untested, and would probably require a bit of buggering around with conditions to work. It may bee that such research is better done on legal materials until the process is fully debugged, to present less of a target.
How long do you want to ply this trade? And why? Fun? Money? Obsession? If you want money, you should pick a standard, well debugged route, make a lot, and get rid of your lab before you sell anything. This is most logical. Unfortunately, this is also almost impossible to do if you really care about the chemistry, or want to experiment.
Also, quality of your lab is important. How tightly packed are you with your fellow sapiens? What vapours and smells can bee emitted safely without comment? This has a large bearing on what type of procedures can be safely performed.
The most eco-friendly way to get rid of waste is to reuse it. Particularly solvents, which can bee redistilled to probably a better quality than they were when you bought them, as well as giving you a look at how efficient your extractions are...
Certain synths generate mercury waste, albeit in small amounts. I'm not sure how reuseable this is. Ask your conscience what to do about it.
Probably most everything else could bee neutralized to safe salts and dumped in the toilet.
If you lived in a shared accomodation, redistilling solvents may be a no-no.
Good for you for caring about our environment.
