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EPA to Tour Baldwinville, MA Site

Release Date: 07/19/2002
Contact Information: EPA to Tour Baldwinville, MA Site

Boston – EPA New England will tour the 23-acre abandoned Temple-Stuart site in Baldwinville, MA, on Monday morning to determine the first steps to be taken to clean it up. EPA has set aside $500,000 in cleanup contractor costs to remove friable asbestos and to investigate other hazardous materials on site

The Holman Street property consists five adjoining buildings and a garage, and is in a residential neighborhood. The Temple-Stuart Company, which occupied the site from 1910 to 1993, manufactured wooden furniture. Waste products from the facility's operation include crankcase oil, paint thinner, lacquer and glue.

EPA did an initial evaluation of the site last November and found the buildings to be dilapidated and both unsafe and inaccessible. The floors were collapsing, the once boarded-up windows have since been uncovered, and there was evidence of vandalism and use by youth. There was also evidence of numerous small fires on the site as well as a skate board ramp that had been constructed.

Samples collected at the time showed friable asbestos inside and outside of the buildings, posing a threat to people who come in contact with the material.

EPA plans to:

• Conduct air monitoring to assure protection of site workers and nearby residents;
  
• Evaluate and stabilize containers found to contain hazardous materials;
• Conduct additional sampling and characterizations of hazardous materials found on the site;
  
• Remove and properly dispose of friable asbestos and any other hazardous materials identified through the sampling and investigation activities; and
  
• Sample surface soils near the former landfill and excavate and safely dispose of materials, if necessary.