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Removal and Clean Up Work Begins at Attleboro, Mass. Site; Public Meeting on Monday, Oct. 18

Release Date: 10/14/2010
Contact Information: Emily Zimmerman, (617) 918-1037

(Boston, Mass. – Oct. 14, 2010) – Clean up of the hazardous waste at the former Walton & Lonsbury facility at 78 North Ave., Attleboro, Mass. begins next week on Oct. 19. EPA will also hold an informational Public Meeting to discuss the work on Monday, Oct. 18 at 7:00 p.m. in the Municipal Council Chambers at Attleboro City Hall at 77 Park Street.

Walton & Lonsbury, Inc. operated the 13,500 square foot chrome plating facility from 1940 to 2007, specializing in plating oversized objects such as pistons for large hydraulic equipment.

Until 1970, the hazardous wastes generated from the facility were discharged directly via an underground pipe into the wetlands behind the facility. From 1970 until the mid-1980s the facility disposed of waste in surface lagoons; and then from 1986 until 2007, the company operated their own wastewater treatment facility to manage their wastes.  As a result of their waste management and plating practices, toxic contaminants remain on Site both in and around the building.   EPA will be working to remove these contaminants over the next 18-36 months.  

The first step EPA will take is to install perimeter fencing with an 8-foot screened fence.  Users of Hayward Park should understand that this vacant parcel will no longer be available for parking.  

EPA will need to empty the building and demolish the structure.  By November, EPA will begin clean up activities at the property in conjunction with continued sampling of nearby potentially impacted properties (to identify any soil contamination related to the Site). A series of other clean up activities will occur over the duration of EPA’s work.

Work operations will be conducted between 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Monday - Saturday.  Workers will be wearing protective equipment while on Site in order to protect them from any contaminants they may contact.  

During building demolition and excavation, EPA will install air monitoring stations around the Site to continuously check the air quality in order to ensure the safety of the public near the Site.  If the air monitors detect dust or contamination, work will immediately be halted until the problem is corrected.

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