‘Environmental racism’? Officials frustrated by pile of asbestos-contaminated debris in Chelsea

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We never intended to leave the community unaware. Our communication was not up to our standards.”

Officials in Chelsea are infuriated after the state left a pile of asbestos-contaminated debris Near a housing development for the public, which some advocates are calling “environmental racism.”

According to WBZ the debris can be found off Route 1 northbound near the Route 16 exit. 

According to a letter sent by Jonathan Gulliver, MassDOT Highway Administrator to Thomas Ambrosino, it is from the replacement Belden G. Bly Drawbridge at Route 107 over Lynn-Saugus Line.

In the letter, Gulliver apologizes “that this situation caught you and other Chelsea officials unaware.”

“It was never our intention to leave the community uninformed and even though this situation developed quickly our communication did not live up to our standards,” Gulliver wrote in the letter, dated Wednesday. “I apologize, and you have our commitment that MassDOT is taking steps to ensure that this does not happen again in Chelsea or any other community.”

Gulliver also assured Ambrosino the community is safe and that the department is working on removing the pile. The pile was covered with a double layer of protection on Wednesday.

A small amount of the debris contained pieces of pipe and other building components, which officials determined to be asbestos debris. A disposal plan was prepared by the state Department of Environmental Protection. Gulliver states that the contaminated material is less then 10 yards.

“The testing, handling and proposed removal of the stockpile has been carried out in full compliance with all applicable regulations in collaboration with the DEP,” Gulliver wrote. “Tee volume of asbestos debris within the stockpile is small and does not present a threat to public safety or health.”

This spot is just “one of many” across the state that MassDOT uses as a “laydown space” for construction, state officials said in an email. They started to stockpile soil there in the late summer of last.

“MassDOT will be removing the material and restoring the interchange area as soon as possible,” the email said, noting the state plans for this to start within the next few weeks.

The situation attracted the initial attention of GreenRoots, an environmental group.

“We are in utmost frustration, disgust and disbelief that the State of Massachusetts has contributed to further environmental racism and classism for the already disproportionately burdened environmental justice community of Chelsea,” GreenRoots Executive Director Roseann Bongiovanni said in a statement Shared on Twitter. 

The group demanded that all rubble be removed and that asbestos testing and remediation are carried out. GreenRoots also asked for an apology.

“Our residents, who are majority BIPOC and low-income folks, continue to sacrifice their health and environment for the region’s benefit,” the statement said. “The outright disregard from the State in relation to the lack of environmental justice protections is infuriating and asinine.”