By Geena Monahan—For the North Star Reporter
The discovery of lead at the former Webster Mill has forced the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to pause its cleanup efforts.
According to Aaron Sheehan, the community involvement coordinator for the EPA, lead was discovered in the large debris pile – now covered with plastic – at the cleanup site on Broadway through sampling and laboratory analysis. Sheehan said a date for when work will resume is not yet known.
“Previous assessment work at the site had previously identified lead in soil, so identifying lead in the debris pile is not totally unexpected, as some soil inevitably was added to the debris pile while consolidating the building debris,” said Sheehan.
While the lead-contaminated debris presents a new challenge for the EPA in its disposal methods, Sheehan said there are no new safety concerns for the public.
The engineering controls that are already in place – such as wetting the material, covering the material with plastic sheeting, air monitoring and security fencing, are “the same safety precautions the EPA would take while addressing lead-contaminated soils,” according to Sheehan.
At a public meeting held over the summer, On-Scene Coordinator Cole Hastings told residents that the EPA hoped to have the project finished by the end of 2025 but added that “we don’t do things to hurry up and get out.”
Town Manager Michael Borg also spoke about the pause in work at the Town Council’s Oct. 15 meeting, estimating about a one-month delay in finishing the project.
“There was some additional contamination that was found in debris that wasn’t originally accounted for, so they’ve had to rebid the disposal of that, which is happening now,” said Borg. “Hopefully they will pick back up in a week or two.”
Impact on the cleanup budget is also unknown at this time, and Sheehan told the North Star Reporter that this will “most likely” add extra expenses. The total project cost of $4,098,258 is fully funded through the EPA.
Both Borg and Sheehan noted that the temporary pause is not tied to the shutdown of the federal government, and that the funding secured for this project is still in place.
The past – and future – of Webster Mill
According to North Attleborough’s Historic Commission, G.K. Webster & Co. was founded by George K. Webster in 1869 and produced sterling silver, which included products such as flatware, napkin rings, candlesticks and thimbles.
An estimated 7,000 cubic yards, or 8,000 tons, of debris is set to be removed from the site. The majority of the mill building was demolished in March 2024, when the town executed an emergency demolition order and took down a portion of the building that was beginning to bow into the street and posed an imminent threat to residents.
Prior to demolition, a 2015 hazardous materials survey completed by Loureiro Engineering Associates showed high-levels of chrysotile asbestos in building materials such as window glazings, roofing materials, floor tiles and thermal system insulation pipe wrap.
The Economic Growth and Sustainability Subcommittee will meet on Oct. 27 to discuss the future of the property – specifically, to review judgment in the tax lien case of Webster Mill, LLC, entered on Sept. 16 and consider whether to retain possession or sell the property.
“The Webster Mill property was in tax title lien – we moved to foreclose after we began expending funds for the demolition of said property and coordinated with DEP and EPA for the removal of that debris,” said Borg. “If the town does not take possession of it, the current owners are not able to meet all the requirements to repay the town for the cost. This would be a way for us to recoup the cost and movies that have been expended.”