Dangerous toxic waste sites in the country are part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Superfund cleanup program. The EPA is responsible for the safety of the local people at 1,700 hazardous waste sites across the country via this program. For example, in Walpole, the South Street Superfund site once housed tire factories and other industries that produced asbestos byproducts and was added to the Superfund Priority list in 1994.
The South Street site is now nearly cleaned up, after more than 20 years of inactivity as the town pushed for a deal with the business owners responsible for the contamination. The result is a cleanup plan that should have the land ready for use by 2016. Part of the deal requires the town to use the space for municipal purposes, with plans for a senior center and police station on the land.
While the EPA said the land will be appropriate for building, digging and other subterranean activity will not be permitted at the site due to health concerns. Each building on the land will have added barriers to protect inhabitants from any potential health hazards. Having said that, Walpole Health Agent Robin Chapell has stressed, that she believes that the land will be fully safe for use.
