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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Health assessment for Iron Horse Park, Billerica, Massachusetts, Region 1. CERCLIS No. MAD051787323. Final report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:7244909

Iron Horse Park (IHP) contains different industrial operations where numerous sources of groundwater, surface water and soil contamination have been identified. On-site contaminants include Methylene chloride, Benzene, Benzidine, 1,1,Dichloroethene, 1,2 Trans-Dichloroethene, 1,2 Dichloroethane, 1,1,1 Trichloroethane, Trichloroethene, Tetrachloroethene, Benz(a)anthracene, Benzo(b)flouranthene, Benzo(k)flouranthene, Benzo(a)pyrene, Dibenzo(a,h)anthracene, Indeno (1,2,3-cd)pyrene, Arochlor 1242, Arsenic, Cyanide, Lead, Selenium, and Asbestos. The site is of public health concern because of the risk to human health resulting from exposure to hazardous substances at concentrations that may result in adverse health effects. Human exposure to asbestos may have occurred in the past via inhalation of fugitive asbestos dusts in either indoor or ambient air. In addition, soil lead levels that were detected near the B M locomotive garage also constitute a health concern. Potentially dangerous levels of benzene and arsenic and benzidine levels could also be a public health threat. PAH's, are found in the pond at levels approaching their solubility limits. Elevated levels of arsenic were also found in Richardson Pond. Data must be obtained in order to assess the degree of contamination in resident fish, other aquatic organisms, vegetation and fowl. The soil near the Johns-Manville catch basins and the sediments in the Middlesex Canal near the J-M plant contain excessive amounts of carcinogenic PAH's and PCB's. B M waste water lagoons contain high levels of PAH's and some have also contained detectable amounts of asbestos. B M Garage had levels of lead that pose a threat to the workers near the garage. B M scrap yards had high levels of asbestos in soils at the scrap yard.

Research Organization:
Massachusetts Dept. of Public Health, Boston, MA (USA)
OSTI ID:
7244909
Report Number(s):
PB-90-136128/XAB
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English