Toxic Soil Tests Sought in Area Near Westwood Line-July 13, 1983

In the sweltering summer of 1983, a sense of unease settled over the residents of Albemarle and Devon roads in Norwood. A growing concern about the alarming number of cancer cases among area residents had reached a boiling point, prompting approximately 50 residents to sign a petition asking selectmen to test for possible toxic chemicals in the soil. The petitioners’ request was not taken lightly, as they pointed out that seven cancer-related deaths had occurred in the small neighborhood over a period of about a dozen years.

The statistics were indeed staggering: three children stricken with leukemia, two of whom had died; five women with breast cancer, three of whom had succumbed to the disease; and two who had passed away due to brain tumors. Jacqueline H. Saber, one of the first residents to sign the petition, recalled that she had moved into her home on Albemarle Road 14 years ago, and since then, a disturbing pattern of cancer cases had emerged in the neighborhood. Saber’s concerns were echoed by Norman Tarlin, a 19-year resident at 139 Albemarle Road, who noted an “abnormally high amount” of cancer cases for such a small area.

The residents’ fears were not unfounded, as they pointed out that homes in their area had been built on land that was once used for industrial waste dumping. While there was no concrete evidence to support this claim, the mere possibility sent shivers down the spines of those who lived in the neighborhood. Saber defined the area as including Albemarle, Burnley, Devon, Malvern, and Yarmouth roads, as well as Westover Parkway.

The selectmen, however, were not entirely convinced by the residents’ concerns. Chairman Patricia A. Talbot suggested that the board deserved an explanation for the high incidence of cancer cases in the area. In response to this request, the health board decided to ask the state Department of Environmental Quality Engineering (DEQE) to conduct soil tests for possible toxic chemicals.

The DEQE’s involvement was not limited to the Albemarle Road area, as they were also asked to test for toxicity in leachate at the nearby town landfill. This request had been prompted by a complaint from Walpole Street dentist Thomas K. Hawley, who had noticed a strong-smelling oily liquid in a trench at the dump. Bartley J. King, public health director, advised the board that the DEQE had been notified of both requests and would conduct the necessary tests.

The residents’ concerns about the potential health hazards in their area were not limited to the soil tests. They also expressed fears about the nearby town landfill, which they believed was a source of pollution. Hawley, who was also a member of the town conservation commission, pointed out that dead vegetation surrounded the trench where the oily liquid had been spotted, and it lay close to a well-traveled bicycle path.

The DEQE’s tests would provide much-needed answers for the residents of Albemarle and Devon roads. However, as Saber noted, “That’s what put a lot of worry into the people.” The uncertainty surrounding the potential health hazards in their area had created a sense of unease among the residents, who were eager to get to the bottom of the matter.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger