EMERGENCY REMOVAL
Cleaning Up New England
SITE SUMMARIES
Walton & Lonsbury Site
U.S. EPA | HAZARDOUS WASTE PROGRAM AT EPA NEW ENGLAND
THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE
AND REMOVAL PROGRAM responds
to chemical, biological and radiological releases and large-scale
national emergencies, including homeland security incidents. EPA conducts short
term cleanups in the removal program when necessary to protect human health
and the environment by either funding response actions directly or overseeing
and enforcing actions conducted by potentially responsible parties.
BACKGROUND:
The Site at 78 North Avenue in Attleboro, MA houses a 13,500 square foot chrome plating facility formerly
operated by Walton & Lonsbury, Inc (W&L). While in operation from 1940-2007, the Site was used to chrome-plate
oversized objects such as pistons for large hydraulic equipment or rollers for paper mills. For a time, copper plating
operations also took place until the building was remodeled in the 1950s. A number of chemicals and chemical
compounds were used and left as waste in the operations process. From 1940-1970. all wastes generated from
the facility discharged into the wetlands located on the southern portion of the property via an underground pipe.
After 1970, W&L used a number of different waste disposal techniques that also had environmental consequences
on the Site.
CONTAMINANTS OF CONCERN:
Contaminants of Concern on this Site include total chro-
mium, hexavalent chromium, lead and Volatile Organic
Compounds (VOCs), The chromium compounds result-
ed from the use of chromic acid to perform chrome
plating in the plant. Lead is a contaminant of concern
because it was used for a variety of operations in the
plant including the making of plumbing pieces for the
plating process,
REMOVAL ACTIONS:
When W&L abandoned the facility in 2007, they left
everything behind. The first step in the clean-up is to
empty the facility, and then demolish it. Other remov-
al operations include: dismantling and removing the
eight plating tanks on the property; excavating the
foundation and contaminated soils on Site: clearing
the wooded, wetland south of the Site; removing and/
or treating contaminated soils and restoring all impacted
properties.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
EPA and its contractors will be working behind fencing
constructed specifically for the project. This fencing will
enclose the parking lot of the Walton & Lonsbury Site.
which means this lot will be unavailable as excess parking
for Hayward Park. Residents and park users should continue
in their daily activities because EPA will be monitoring the
air quality on and around the Site, Work will be halted if
EPA detects contamination in the air. EPA will also conduct
soil sampling during removal actions to confirm the removal
of contaminants.
Residents near the Site, and users of Hayward Park should
expect to see an increase of truck traffic in the area. Because
adjacent properties to the Site are operational industrial
properties, truck traffic is not uncommon in this area. Work
operations will be conducted between 7am-7pm Monday-
Saturday.
Workers will be wearing protective equipment when on
Site: this is meant to protect them from any contaminants
they may be handling while working.
ADDITIONAL CONTACT:
Jeffrey Chormann, Moss Deportment of Enwronmen-
tal Protection; Chief of the Assessment and Reporting
Branch, Bureau of Waste Prevention; (617) 292-5888:
jeffrey.chormann@state.rna.us
Informational Public Meeting: Attleboro City Hall on
Monday, October 18 at 7pm.
KEY CONTACTS:
ELISE JAKABHAZT
EPA New England
On-Scene Coordinator
(617)918-1228
jakabhazy.elise@epa.gov
EMI LY ZIMMERMAN
EPA New England, Community
Involvement Coordinator
(617) 918-1037
zimmerman.emily@epa.gov
GENERAL INFO:
EPA NEW ENGLAND
5 Post Office Square
Suite 100
Boston, MA 02109-3912
(617) 918-1111
www.epa.gov/ region T/
EPA TOLL-FREE
CUSTOMER SERVICE
1-888-EPA-7341
LEARN MORE AT:
www.epa.gov/regionT/
superfund/er/
ŁEPAi
United States
Environmental Protection
k Agency
© printed on 100% recycled paper, wilh a minimum of 50% post-consumer wasle, using vegetable-based inks
October 2010
SDMS DocID 482800
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