EPA Cleanup Underway At 1071 Main Street Superfund Site

WOBURN, MA — Excavation to address contaminated soil at 1073 Main Street in Woburn was set to begin Monday, the Environmental Protection Agency said.

The Agency planned to begin removing trees at the site Monday ahead of excavating soil beginning June 22.

1071 Main Street and the adjacent residential property, 1073, are an EPA superfund site due to a variety of soil contaminants. 1071 Main Street had a variety of industrial uses from 1928 to 2015, including a hide and leather tannery, auto and radiator repair and rubber storage and disposal. Soil has high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls and heavy metals, according to the agency.

A contractor covered the soil at 1071 in a "spray-on encapsulant" which prevents the dust from spreading, and that site will be used for staging for the 1073 excavation.

Excavation is expected to take five to eight weeks and last from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily.

According to the EPA release, the EPA and its contractors will: "1) monitor the air for any Site related dust, 2.) maintain control of the work areas to exclude the public from physical hazards and 3.) ensure nearby residents are not affected by EPA’s activities."

The excavated soil will be covered and stored temporarily at 1071.

In 2014, a condo project was approved for 1071 Main Street.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.