Walton & Lonsbury Inc. is a former electroplating facility in Attleboro, Massachusetts that operated from 1940 to 2007. The site was added to the National Priorities List (NPL) in May 2013. From 1940 to 1970, the facility discharged process waste directly into wetlands on the property, leaving chromium levels as high as 81,800 parts per million in the wetlands and 42,000 parts per million at the facility itself.
The site has 24 contaminants of concern spread across soil, groundwater, and surface water. Groundwater contains chlorinated solvents such as trichloroethene, vinyl chloride, and 1,4-dioxane, along with metals including chromium, lead, arsenic, and cobalt. Soil contamination includes arsenic, lead, antimony, thallium, cobalt, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Chromium and hexavalent chromium are present in soil, groundwater, and surface water.
EPA completed two removal actions starting in 2010. The first involved demolishing facility buildings, excavating contaminated wetland sediment, and installing a cover system and permeable reactive barrier (PRB) to keep contaminated groundwater from reaching nearby residential properties. A PRB is an underground trench filled with material that converts hexavalent chromium into a non-toxic form. The second removal action, completed in 2020, removed lead-contaminated soil from 12 residential properties. In September 2019, EPA issued a Record of Decision selecting a long-term cleanup plan that includes soil excavation, in-place treatment, PRBs, and long-term monitoring. Construction of the long-term remedy began in March 2025 and is expected to continue through early 2028. A mid-plume reactive barrier is anticipated to be installed in 2026.
Human exposure to soil contaminants is currently under control. Contaminated groundwater, however, is still migrating and has not stabilized. Heavy machinery including excavators and drilling rigs is operating at the source area and PRB location. EPA is coordinating with the City of Attleboro to reduce disruption, and air, noise, and stormwater controls are in place to protect workers and nearby residents.
Community members with questions can contact EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or the Remedial Project Manager. State-level questions can be directed to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.
(NOTE: This summary was created based on all information available on the EPA's official site profile page as of May 29, 2026. To see the most up-to-date information provided by the EPA, visit the EPA's official profile page for this site. For questions, or to politely request the EPA keep their profile page current, contact the EPA Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager assigned to this site.)
