The Boston, Massachusetts zip code 02113 carries a critical environmental hazard designation due to extensive nearby industrial contamination. The area contains 16 hazardous sites within five miles and 45 sites within ten miles, indicating dense legacy pollution. The most significant nearby threat is the Coal Tar Processing Facility (Former), located 1.95 miles away. This site harbors unspecified hazardous substances, which in coal tar processing typically include volatile organic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and heavy metals. Exposure to these industrial byproducts can occur through vapor intrusion, soil disruption, or contaminated municipal water, potentially causing respiratory distress, neurological impairment, and elevated cancer risks over prolonged periods. The Coal Tar Processing Facility (Former) maintains an active status on the EPA National Priorities List. This active designation indicates that federal remediation efforts are currently ongoing, involving comprehensive remedial investigation, feasibility studies, and active containment measures to mitigate off-site migration. Other active local facilities, including the US Coast Guard Integrated Support Command just 0.2 miles away, further compound the local contamination profile.

Given the high concentration of active sites, residents should implement immediate precautions. Individuals should install certified HEPA filtration systems in homes to capture airborne particulate matter and volatile compounds. Residents should also utilize reverse osmosis water filters for all drinking and cooking water to eliminate potential heavy metal ingestion. Finally, individuals should avoid planting edible gardens directly in native soil, instead utilizing raised beds with imported, certified-clean soil to prevent exposure to legacy ground contaminants.