ZIP: 01431

Ashby, Massachusetts

Score: 10/10

SECTION 1 – THREAT SUMMARY Ashby faces a critical hazard level of 10.0 out of 10. The Agway/Kress Property is the nearest major Superfund site, located less than two miles away. Unspecified Hazardous Substances means chemicals are in the soil or water that do not belong there. These toxins can travel through groundwater or dust. For your daily life, this means you must be careful about drinking well water or playing in dirt near old industrial zones to avoid getting sick from these pollutants.

Hazard Data Summary

Hazard Score

10/10

Risk Level

Critical

Primary Contaminant

Unspecified Hazardous Substances

Nearest Superfund Site

AGWAY/KRESS PROPERTY

Distance to Nearest

1.9 mi

Sites Within 5 Miles

Sites Within 10 Miles

County

Middlesex

NPL Status

Active

Regulatory Overview

Ashby, Massachusetts (ZIP 01431) currently holds a critical environmental hazard designation due to extreme proximity to numerous active contamination zones. The surrounding region contains ten tracked facilities within a five-mile radius and twenty-one within ten miles, indicating severe historical industrial pollution. The Agway/Kress Property remains the most prominent active Superfund site in the immediate vicinity, located approximately 1.9 miles from the main community center. Other immediate ecological threats include the Shaffer Landfill and Watertown Bemis Dump, located mere fractions of a mile from certain residential boundaries.

The Environmental Protection Agency maintains an active National Priorities List status for the Agway/Kress Property, meaning federal remediation and long-term cleanup operations remain ongoing to contain the severe environmental threat. Environmental assessments for this specific site indicate the dangerous continuous presence of unspecified hazardous substances. While the exact chemical composition falls under broad EPA designations, exposure to typical industrial hazardous waste through groundwater contamination or vapor intrusion frequently causes irreversible neurological damage, severe respiratory distress, and heavily elevated cancer risks over prolonged periods.

Given the severe density of active contamination sites throughout the area, residents must implement immediate environmental safeguards to protect their households. Residents utilizing private wells must commission independent, comprehensive water testing for volatile organic compounds and heavy metals immediately. Furthermore, households should install certified reverse osmosis water filtration systems for all drinking and cooking water supply lines. Finally, residents should seal basement foundations and install active sub-slab depressurization systems to completely mitigate potential hazardous vapor intrusion from migrating subterranean soil gases.

Threat Summary

Nearby Superfund Sites

Site Name	EPA ID	Distance	NPL Status
SHAFFER LANDFILL	110009349035	0.01 mi	Active
WATERTOWN BEMIS DUMP	110009337388	0.01 mi	Active
REXNORD KNIFE DIVISION	110009325104	1.24 mi	Active
W.R. GRACE & CO., INC. (ACTON PLANT)	110060542916	1.64 mi	Active
AGWAY/KRESS PROPERTY	110009290383	1.85 mi	Active
STARMET	110000309452	1.94 mi	Active
W R GRACE DARAMIC PLANT	110071100769	1.97 mi	Active
FORT DEVENS-SUDBURY TRAINING ANNEX	110009289607	2.84 mi	Active
FWS-ASSABET RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE	110070058232	3.75 mi	Active
SPERRY RESEARCH CENTER	110008406126	3.92 mi	Active

Action Required

SECTION 3 – ACTION REQUIRED Immediate steps are necessary due to the critical hazard score. Contact the Ashby Land Trust Inc to learn about local land conservation and soil safety efforts. For housing-related health concerns or assistance with environmental mitigation in your home, reach out to RCAP Solutions, Inc. at 978-630-6734. You may also contact Quincy Community Action Programs, Inc. at 617-479-8181 for support services. Residents should request water quality testing and professional soil evaluations to ensure their property is safe from the high concentration of nearby industrial landfills and active Superfund locations.

HUD Housing Counseling

Government Verified

Rcap Solutions, Inc.

Worcester, MA

Call 978-630-6734 HUD Listing

Quincy Community Action Programs, Inc.

Quincy, MA

Call 617-479-8181 HUD Listing

Environmental Organizations

IRS Verified

Ashburnham Conservation Tr IncEnvironmental
Ashby Land Trust IncEnvironmental
Billy Ward Pond Improvement Association IncEnvironmental

Data Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Superfund Enterprise Management System (SEMS). Facility data from EPA Facility Registry Service (FRS). Nonprofit data from IRS Exempt Organizations Business Master File. Housing counseling data from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

This report is generated from publicly available government data and does not constitute legal or medical advice. For current site-specific information, visit EPA Superfund.