SWANSEA — Interim Town Administrator James Purcell reports that soil samples taken at a long vacant, town-owned site on Wood Street tested positive for elevated levels of arsenic, which was expected since it was a former orchard and many orchards once used arsenic-based pesticides.
The Wood Street site is being proposed by Swansea for the development of a new junior high school. As part of the project, Swansea Public Schools hired a geoenvironmental engineering firm to do site work, including soil testing that found one area of elevated levels of arsenic.
In compliance with state regulations, the Town immediately notified the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on March 30 and initiated what’s known as an Immediate Response Action.
As part of the Immediate Response Action process, the Town of Swansea is now installing temporary fencing around the defined area and will conduct continued assessment.
There is no immediate public health risk. Contractors will perform whatever remediation is necessary until the site meets or exceeds all applicable environmental and safety standards.
Arsenic is extremely common in former orchard and farm soils, particularly those active between 1890 and 1950.
“We immediately contacted the DEP once the elevated levels of arsenic were discovered,” said Interim Town Manager Purcell. “The Town of Swansea is committed to complying with all regulations to ensure the site is a completely safe, healthy environment for our future school.”
The Town will be releasing additional information once engineers from the geoengineering firm complete further testing at the property.
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