Natick looks to hold biolabs accountable, bar highest-risk ones from town
NATICK — As plans for a hotly debated new research and development facility inch forward at the Natick Mall, local health officials are taking steps to prevent the riskiest biolabs from opening in town.
Director of Public Health Michael Boudreau, who is crafting Natick’s proposed biolab regulations, said he hopes to have a draft before the Board of Health soon.
In a brief overview of the regulations during a Tuesday meeting, he described plans for a permitting process to hold labs accountable.
Previously: Natick readies itself for more biolabs
“We are going to require any labs, whether upcoming or that are in activity now — they’re going to have to have a permit issued by the Natick Board of Health,” Boudreau said.
He said the proposed regulations will also require labs to have an institutional biosafety committee; to provide Natick with floor plans and a description of organisms in use; and to alert the town of lab accidents or potential exposures.
“We want them to notify us of any incidents that happen,” Boudreau said.
He later added: “We’re going to want an emergency response plan.”
Also under consideration is a prohibition on the use of animals for experimentation, according to Boudreau.
Regulations would bar highest-risk labs from Natick
The regulations would limit biolabs to the two lowest-risk biosafety levels (BSLs), which determine the safety measures needed in a lab depending on materials in use. BSL-1 and BSL-2 labs work with materials that pose minimal and moderate risks to the community, respectively.
The project that started it all: Natick's Neiman Marcus may become research and development site
Additionally, Boudreau said the town might look to limit labs to BSL-1 if they are within a certain distance of residences.
Proximity to homes has been a source of debate in the redevelopment of the Natick Mall’s Neiman Marcus building. NM Redevelopment has proposed turning the property into a research and development facility that may include a lab, sparking concern among some residents of Nouvelle at Natick, a luxury condominium adjacent to the mall.
NM Redevelopment’s parent company, Boston real estate firm Bulfinch Companies Inc., told the Daily News in May that the property is intended to be BSL-1 or BSL-2, with the highest-risk tier — BSL-4 — being outside the developer’s scope.
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The project is before Natick’s Planning Board for special permitting.
Natick biolab restrictions would apply retroactively
If adopted, Natick’s biolab regulations would apply retroactively to existing labs — such as ABI-LAB on Strathmore Road — with a goal of giving those labs time to come into compliance, according to Boudreau.
Enforcement mechanisms, including possible financial penalties and permit revocation for noncompliant labs, would also be part of the draft regulations.
“As part of the overall regulation, we want to hold biosafety labs accountable,” Boudreau said.
Board of Health Chair Karla Sangrey acknowledged some community members are anxious to see regulations enacted, but said the town is being thoughtful in its process.
Board Clerk Don Breda echoed her sentiment, adding that it is “extremely important that we get this right.”
This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Natick biolab regulations near completion. What is being proposed?
