Salem, Massachusetts
Residents in Salem face a critical environmental hazard score of 10.0. The Ash Street Tannery is the nearest active Superfund site. While the EPA lists unspecified hazardous substances, historical leather tanning often involved heavy metals and chemicals. These toxins can seep into soil and groundwater. In your daily life, this means you must be careful where children play and avoid consuming local well water. Nearby sites like Mansell Field further increase your risk of exposure to legacy industrial pollution.
Hazard Data Summary
Regulatory Overview
The primary pollutants flagged at the Former Ash Street Tannery include unspecified hazardous substances, which are historically linked to industrial leather manufacturing. Environmental exposure to these legacy industrial byproducts, which frequently encompass heavy metals and volatile organic compounds, can cause chronic respiratory irritation, acute dermatological conditions, and cumulative systemic toxicity in local residents through groundwater or soil vapor interaction. The federal Environmental Protection Agency classifies this primary site and surrounding facilities as active, meaning that long-term federal assessment, structural containment, and soil remediation phases are currently underway but remain incomplete.
Residents should take immediate, concrete precautions to mitigate potential contamination exposure pathways. Local households should immediately install certified reverse osmosis water filtration systems to block the ingestion of migrating groundwater pollutants. Residents should strictly avoid using native topsoil for edible gardening, utilizing raised beds filled with imported, commercially verified soil instead. Furthermore, local homeowners should equip residential HVAC systems with high-efficiency particulate air filters to capture industrial dust and volatile particulates drifting from these active federal remediation perimeters.
Threat Summary
Residents in Salem face a critical environmental hazard score of 10.0. The Ash Street Tannery is the nearest active Superfund site. While the EPA lists unspecified hazardous substances, historical leather tanning often involved heavy metals and chemicals. These toxins can seep into soil and groundwater. In your daily life, this means you must be careful where children play and avoid consuming local well water. Nearby sites like Mansell Field further increase your risk of exposure to legacy industrial pollution.
Nearby Superfund Sites
| Site Name | EPA ID | Distance | NPL Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| MANSELL FIELD | 110071099996 | 0.38 mi | Active |
| GALLOWS HILL | 110071100848 | 0.39 mi | Active |
| GTE SYLVANIA (FORMER) | 110002000913 | 0.92 mi | Active |
| SALEM ACRES | 110009290061 | 1.54 mi | Active |
| BOSTON GAS SALEM LNG | 110071100624 | 1.72 mi | Active |
| FAFARD CONSTRUCTION | 110009290613 | 1.78 mi | Active |
| EASTMAN GELATINE CORP LIME DISP AREA | 110009290230 | 2.09 mi | Active |
| MONNIER SITE/PYBURN PROPERTY | 110009289082 | 2.22 mi | Active |
| DANVERSPORT EXPLOSION | 110071099844 | 2.5 mi | Active |
| CREESE & COOK TANNERY (FORMER) | 110046479422 | 3 mi | Active |
Action Required
Residents must take immediate steps to secure their living environment. Contact the Neighborhood of Affordable Housing, Inc. at 617-567-5882 for assistance with housing safety and environmental justice resources. For broader support, reach out to Quincy Community Action Programs, Inc. at 617-479-8181. Local environmental advocacy is available through the All Hands Alliance. Request a soil assessment if you live near Mansell Field or Gallows Hill. Verify your home's water and air filtration systems today. Taking these actions helps protect your family from the documented industrial hazards present throughout the Salem area and the 01970 zip code.
HUD Housing Counseling
Government VerifiedEnvironmental Organizations
IRS Verified- All Hands AllianceEnvironmental
- Alternative Fuel Foundation IncEnvironmental
- Amesbury Hospital Charitable TrustEnvironmental
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.