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Cleanup Work to Begin at Contaminated Site in Attleboro

Release Date: 01/18/2005
Contact Information:

Contact: David Deegan, EPA Office of Public Affairs, (617) 918-1017, deegan.dave@epa.gov

For Immediate Release: January 18, 2005; Release # dd050104

Boston – This week EPA will begin work on a $300,000 cleanup project at the APCO Mossberg Co. site in Attleboro, Mass., to remove surface soils and debris containing traces of lead, heavy metals and PCBs. The work is being done under EPA’s Superfund program, which assists state and community efforts to identify and clean areas that are contaminated with hazardous materials.

Investigations last spring and summer identified the contamination, including discarded capacitors containing PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls). The contamination is suspected to be linked to manufacturing activities previously conducted on the property.

EPA is working closely with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and the City of Attleboro on this project. As part of the cleanup, EPA will take steps during the next several weeks to stabilize the site, including:

• repair or install additional fencing and warning signs to restrict access to the property;
• conduct air monitoring to ensure that contamination is not migrating off-site;
• collect and analyze samples from the soil and waste piles to further characterize the extent of contamination; and
• remove containers of ignitable chemicals and capacitor parts.

In the spring, EPA’s work at the site will continue, when the Agency will excavate and consolidate contaminated debris piles and surface soils, and backfill the excavated areas with clean fill materials.

All contaminated materials removed from the property will be shipped off-site for disposal at EPA-approved facilities.

“The first step is to repair or install additional fencing and warning signs around the property” said Melanie Morash of EPA. “We are asking the community to support our efforts by obeying the warning signs and keeping clear of the work areas.” Morash, EPA’s On-Scene Coordinator from the Superfund removal program, will be managing the cleanup.

The 11-acre Attleboro site, located at 100-101 Lamb Street, was the location of the Frank Mossberg Company in the early 1900’s. During that time, the company manufactured tools, automobile starters and spring kits. APCO Mossberg Company, Inc. assumed ownership of the property in 1937. Fifty years later, in 1987, the manufacturing building was destroyed by a fire.

The work is expected to take less than nine months. Additional information on the project is available at: www.epaosc.net/ApcoMossberg.

Related Information:
Cleanup Process
Cleanup in New England
PCB's