Rochester, NH (03866) – Environmental Hazard Report

ZIP: 03866

Rochester, New Hampshire

Score: 10/10

Rochester faces a critical safety risk with a hazard score of 10.0 out of 10. The Cardinal Landfill is the closest Superfund site, located only 2.6 miles away. This site contains hazardous substances that can move through the soil and water. For your daily life, this means you must be careful about what touches your ground and where your water comes from. Pollutants from old landfills can sometimes enter the air or local streams, creating long-term health dangers.

Hazard Data Summary

Hazard Score
10/10
Risk Level
Critical
Primary Contaminant
Unspecified Hazardous Substances
Nearest Superfund Site
CARDINAL LANDFILL
Distance to Nearest
2.6 mi
Sites Within 5 Miles
2
Sites Within 10 Miles
4
County
Strafford
NPL Status
Active

Regulatory Overview

The Rochester, New Hampshire area, encompassing ZIP code 03866, currently carries a critical environmental hazard designation due to proximity to multiple contamination sources. Residents live within ten miles of four active environmental hazard zones, with the Cardinal Landfill serving as the most immediate threat at just 2.6 miles away. Cardinal Landfill is under active Environmental Protection Agency jurisdiction, meaning site characterization, containment procedures, and direct remediation efforts are currently in progress, but the area is not yet secured. Regulatory filings indicate the presence of unspecified hazardous substances at this facility. While exact chemical profiles are restricted in preliminary data, legacy municipal landfills typically harbor volatile organic compounds, heavy metals, and toxic leachate. Human exposure to these hazardous compounds, whether through airborne particulate dispersion or subsurface groundwater infiltration, can induce acute respiratory distress, long-term neurological impairment, and elevated risks of chronic systemic illnesses. Because the Cardinal Landfill and the nearby former Collins and Aikman Plant remain in active cleanup stages, residents must implement immediate environmental safeguards to minimize exposure pathways. Individuals relying on private wells should commission independent, comprehensive groundwater testing for heavy metals and volatile organic compounds immediately. Dwellings must be equipped with high-efficiency particulate air filtration systems to mitigate potential vapor intrusion and block airborne soil particles generated by nearby earth-moving remediation activities. Finally, households should source drinking water exclusively from certified municipal utility supplies or install rigorous reverse osmosis water filtration systems until federal regulators officially declare the local aquifer fully remediated and safe.

Threat Summary

Rochester faces a critical safety risk with a hazard score of 10.0 out of 10. The Cardinal Landfill is the closest Superfund site, located only 2.6 miles away. This site contains hazardous substances that can move through the soil and water. For your daily life, this means you must be careful about what touches your ground and where your water comes from. Pollutants from old landfills can sometimes enter the air or local streams, creating long-term health dangers.

Nearby Superfund Sites

Site NameEPA IDDistanceNPL Status
CARDINAL LANDFILL1100422669452.63 miActive
COLLINS & AIKMAN PLANT (FORMER)1100390203503.17 miActive
MILTONIA MANAGEMENT INC.(GREENE TANNERY)1100153301866.37 miActive
MERRYMEETING ROAD DRUM SITE1100712999647.83 miActive

Action Required

Residents must take immediate steps to secure their living environment and advocate for local cleanup efforts. Contact the Acton-Wakefield Watersheds Alliance Inc to learn about local water quality monitoring and how to protect your immediate watershed from landfill runoff. For those concerned about property safety or seeking lead-safe housing alternatives due to regional industrial contamination, contact THE HOUSING PARTNERSHIP in Portsmouth at 603-431-3620. This agency provides essential guidance on housing security and environmental health resources. Engaging with 350 New Hampshire can also help you join local initiatives focused on broader environmental advocacy and safety.

HUD Housing Counseling

Government Verified
The Housing Partnership
Portsmouth, NH

Environmental Organizations

IRS Verified
  • 350 New HampshireEnvironmental
  • Acton-wakefield Watersheds Alliance IncEnvironmental
  • Balch Lake Improvement Organization BlimpEnvironmental

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.

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