523 Broad Street

Prior to the discovery of asbestos on Sargeant Avenue, some asbestos contaminated soils from the detention pond excavation had been transported to another location at 523 Broad Street for use in the Majestic Heights Development. This residential development is located in another heavily populated residential area within Nashua.

These soils had been placed in piles located throughout the entrance of the development. When it was learned that asbestos contamination was a problem, the City took immediate steps to limit the potential release of asbestos from these soil piles. The soil piles were kept wetted and temporary tarps were put in place to prevent the release of contaminated soils, as dusts, to off-site locations. As with the Sargeant Avenue Site, the City began efforts to characterize the nature and extent of asbestos contamination in the stockpiled soils in this location.

Two on-site stockpiles located at the entrance of the development were identified for characterization. These stockpiles were selected because of their proximity to existing residences in the adjoining neighborhood. A combined total of 14 surface (grab) and test pit (composite) soil samples were collected on April 15, 2003, and were analyzed for asbestos. Three of the surface soil samples tested positive for asbestos (minimum 20% chrysotile asbestos) and were found to contain small pieces of transite board and insulation wrap. The remaining grab samples and all of the test pit samples were negative for asbestos. While characterization of the soil piles was underway, a total of three air samples were collected to determine if asbestos fibers were possibly being released from the site. Test results for all of the air samples showed asbestos fiber concentrations of less than 0.003 fibers/cc.

As with the Sargeant Avenue Site, the City prepared an asbestos site abatement plan for this location. Between May 20 and June 9, 2003, contaminated soils from the two soil piles previously discussed, plus four smaller piles of suspect materials were removed from the site. Soil piles were wetted down during removal to prevent the release of asbestos; all contaminated soils were taken to the Four Hills Landfill for disposal.

Clearance sampling was conducted to insure that all of the contaminated soils had been removed. A total of 56 soils samples, including soil samples collected from the base of stockpile removal work areas, side wall sampling locations, and random samples from throughout the site, were analyzed and found to be negative for asbestos.

In addition, individual swipe samples from the windows of residences at 520, 524, 526 and 528 Broad Street (directly opposite 523 Broad Street) were collected to determine whether contaminated dusts from the site might have migrated to off-site residential areas. The sampling results for these residences were also negative for asbestos.