New Hampshire Town Cleans Up 175 Dumping Sites

July 8, 2009

The city of Nashua, New Hampshire recently had an open house to discuss the cleanup of 175 known asbestos dumping sites in the area. The areas included residential, business and city-owned properties.

The Environmental Protection Agency gave the city a grant that allowed it to develop an inventory of brownfield properties with asbestos in the soils and to assess the condition of the properties and determine any additional action that would be necessary for the redevelopment of the sites.

Property owners were informed about their responsibilities, the environmental issues at stake, the potential health risks, and the best ways to reduce asbestos exposure during the cleanup process. Breathing in the material can cause mesothelioma, a deadly form of cancer, which affects the respiratory system.

The cleanup is scheduled to take place in the next few months.