Uploaded February 2017 | Updated September 2026, 5 hours ago
This video, produced by the US EPA, shows an example of how Federal, state, and regional agencies, along with a citizens task force, worked together to effectively remediate an asbestos threat at an abandoned facility in Nashua, New Hampshire in the late 1990s. The former Johns Manville Property Site was located in a heavily populated section of the City of Nashua and comprised approximately four acres and contained two vacant manufacturing buildings. The estimated population residing within a one-mile radius of the site was approximately 13,000 people, with 13 schools, including day care facilities, one hospital, and 13 housing units for elderly, low income, and halfway homes. The Johns Manville Company began conducting operations at this location in 1900. The company combined asbestos fibers and cement to produce a number of asbestos plate products for commercial and industrial use. The company generated large amounts of waste materials, consisting of quality rejects, sludge, baghouse dust materials, and other sheet materials, as part of its production process. The company disposed of this waste material on site and also distributed it as free fill material to local property owners in Nashua and surrounding communities. This practice continued for a number of years until the early 1970s, when it was discontinued as a result of federal regulations concerning the use of asbestos containing materials. The Johns Manville Company ceased production of asbestos containing products at by 1987. The city of Nashua, the state of New Hampshire, and EPA had significant involvement with the former Johns Manville Property Site after manufacturing activities ceased. Concern for trespassers entering the site and for the deteriorated conditions of the two site buildings led the city of Nashua, in November 1994, to install an eight-foot perimeter security fence around the site to restrict access to the facility. Based on the public health and safety concerns of the state and city, the EPA committed to a removal action to demolish the two abandoned site buildings and to remove the asbestos-containing demolition debris from the site. Once EPA committed to this course of action, the focus of public health concern shifted from the potential uncontrolled release of asbestos during a fire or building collapse to dismantling the site buildings and disposing of the asbestos-containing wastes in a manner that would not cause a release of asbestos to the surrounding community. Prior to the initiation of the removal action in September 1996, EPA put together a task force of state and local stakeholders to provide EPA with input to the proposed removal action. Actual demolition activities at the site began September 3, 1996. The removal action concluded on June 28, 1997. For a full report on this abatement, go the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) Public Health Assessment Report of the Removal Action at the former JOHNS MANVILLE MANUFACTURING PLANT, NASHUA, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE at atsdr.cdc.gov/hac/pha/pha.asp?docid=1184&pg=0 . This video is one of 129 created by the wonderful Environmental Response Television (ERTV) which provides video support to U.S. EPA's Environmental Response Team (ERT). ERTV responds to request for the ERT to provide broadcast-quality documentary video programs on alternative hazardous waste treatment technologies, unique hazardous waste sites, site investigations, and other ERT activities.
This video, produced by the US EPA, shows an example of how Federal, state, and regional agencies, along with a citizens task force, worked together to effectively remediate an asbestos threat at an abandoned facility in Nashua, New Hampshire in the late 1990s. The former Johns Manville Property Site was located in a heavily populated section of the City of Nashua and comprised approximately four acres and contained two vacant manufacturing buildings. The estimated population residing within a one-mile radius of the site was approximately 13,000 people, with 13 schools, including day care facilities, one hospital, and 13 housing units for elderly, low income, and halfway homes. The Johns Manville Company began conducting operations at this location in 1900. The company combined asbestos fibers and cement to produce a number of asbestos plate products for commercial and industrial use. The company generated large amounts of waste materials, consisting of quality rejects, sludge, baghouse dust materials, and other sheet materials, as part of its production process. The company disposed of this waste material on site and also distributed it as free fill material to local property owners in Nashua and surrounding communities. This practice continued for a number of years until the early 1970s, when it was discontinued as a result of federal regulations concerning the use of asbestos containing materials. The Johns Manville Company ceased production of asbestos containing products at by 1987. The city of Nashua, the state of New Hampshire, and EPA had significant involvement with the former Johns Manville Property Site after manufacturing activities ceased. Concern for trespassers entering the site and for the deteriorated conditions of the two site buildings led the city of Nashua, in November 1994, to install an eight-foot perimeter security fence around the site to restrict access to the facility. Based on the public health and safety concerns of the state and city, the EPA committed to a removal action to demolish the two abandoned site buildings and to remove the asbestos-containing demolition debris from the site. Once EPA committed to this course of action, the focus of public health concern shifted from the potential uncontrolled release of asbestos during a fire or building collapse to dismantling the site buildings and disposing of the asbestos-containing wastes in a manner that would not cause a release of asbestos to the surrounding community. Prior to the initiation of the removal action in September 1996, EPA put together a task force of state and local stakeholders to provide EPA with input to the proposed removal action. Actual demolition activities at the site began September 3, 1996. The removal action concluded on June 28, 1997. For a full report on this abatement, go the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) Public Health Assessment Report of the Removal Action at the former JOHNS MANVILLE MANUFACTURING PLANT, NASHUA, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE at atsdr.cdc.gov/hac/pha/pha.asp?docid=1184&pg=0 . This video is one of 129 created by the wonderful Environmental Response Television (ERTV) which provides video support to U.S. EPA's Environmental Response Team (ERT). ERTV responds to request for the ERT to provide broadcast-quality documentary video programs on alternative hazardous waste treatment technologies, unique hazardous waste sites, site investigations, and other ERT activities.
