EMERGENCY  REMOVAL
                                                                           Cleaning Up New England
                                                                                                       SITE  SUMMARIES
                                                                                                            W&L SITE UPDATE
                                                                                                               MARCH 1011
                         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 deonups 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 once housed a 13,500 square foot chromium plating facility formerly
operated by Walton & Lonsbury, Inc. (W&L). While in operation from 1940-2007, the Site was used to chrome-plate
very large 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 the 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,

WHAT  HAS BEEN  COMPLETED:
Since work began on the Site, all structures have been
demolished  and contaminated debris  has been trans-
ported off-site to licensed  and regulated  landfills for
final disposal. During the building demolition  phase,
air monitoring devices were  placed around the Site
(throughout the neighborhood, playground, and Indus-
trial Park), and at no point during the project were any
elevated levels of dust or metals observed.

This past winter, a  targe-scale  sampling event was con-
ducted behind the facility to determine the extent of soil
contamination, and the Site has been prepared for soil
excavation. During the excavation, EPA will continue to
deploy air monitoring stations around the Site. EPA will
                                                 use these stations to monitor air quality around the site.
                                                 If the air monitors detect dust or contamination, work
                                                 will be halted immediately until the problem is fixed.

                                                 WHAT'S  NEXT:
                                                 A  detailed  engineering  plan  for  excavation  and
                                                 restoration of the impacted  residential properties is
                                                 currently being designed by a team of highly qualified
                                                 engineers, wetland  specialists and hydrologists.  This
                                                 plan will be based upon the residential sampling event
                                                 and  results obtained last fall. This design is projected
                                                 to be completed by this summer.

                                                 Data results from sampling  events have thoroughly
                                                 defined the area of contamination at the Site. Crews
                                                 are working to excavate the contaminated soil and
                                                 dispose of it at regulated disposal facilities.

                                                 ADDITIONAL  CONTACTS:
                                                 Jeffrey  Chormann,  Moss  Department of Environmen-
                                                 tal  Protection;  Chief of the Assessment and Reporting
                                                 Branch, Bureau of Waste Prevention; (617) 292-5888;
                                                 jeffreycbormann@state.ma.us
                                                 Elsbeth N. Hearn, EPA New England; On-Scene Coordinator,
                                                 (617) 918-1265
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
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                 March 2011
                                                                                                       SDMS DocID 482802

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