A historically polluted site in Easthampton just got a big boost in its quest for remediation. A 2.3-acre parcel on Wemelco Way, owned by Oldon Limited Partnership and confirmed by the Environmental Protection Agency to have been contaminated with asbestos, will benefit from cleanup efforts resulting from a recent agreement. The site, formerly the location of a production facility for attic insulation and fireproofing material owned by W.R. Grace and Co. (who leased the property from Oldon between 1963 and 1992), was used to import asbestos-contaminated vermiculite concentrate from the Zonolite mine in Libby, Mont. that Grace used in its manufacturing processes.
Much of the contamination is in soil behind the now-vacant building on the eastern half of the property, as well as in soil on part of an adjacent railroad right-of-way owned by the city, which hopes to convert the right-of-way to a bike trail. Both Grace and Oldon have agreed to pay not only the estimated $833,000 cleanup costs between the two of them but also to cover $72,537 already spent by the EPA to perform basic remediation over the past several years. EPA Regional Administrator Curt Spalding praised the two companies for doing the right thing for public health and the environment, and for setting a good example of corporate responsibility.
