The Tombarello Site consists a 14-acre abandoned former metal scrap recycling facility formerly operated by Tombarello and Sons and nine adjacent privately-owned residential properties on Hoffman Avenue(total of approximately 2 acres) in Lawrence, MA. Operations on the site had included magnetic separation of metals from soil and truck driving instruction, both of which generated dust for many years. The residential properties have reportedly been contaminated due to their proximity to the facility. They are all currently occupied, and their condition and features are consistent with well-maintained homes.
Tombarello had erected a fence between the homes and the facility in the mid-1960s, and later maintained it to help mitigate fugitive dust from entering the residential properties.
On April 2, 2008 the Site was referred by letter to EPA from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), who had already sampled the nine residential properties and the facility, as a potential removal action. The EPA Preliminary Assessment/Site Investigation determined that an action to address contaminated soil at four of the nine residential properties was warranted and in July 2010 an Action Memo to perform such a removal action and address imminent risks on the site proper was signed. In August-October 2010, EPA performed additional sampling to determine the nature and extent of contamination on the residential properties and site proper. From May to June 2011, contaminated soil was removed from the four residential properties and restoration activities continued through May 2012. Concurrent with the EPA removal action on the residences, the owner of the site performed a removal under EPA oversight via Administrative Order on Consent (AOC) to address the imminent site risks; this work was completed and EPA formally accepted the final report September 2011.
For additional information, visit the Pollution/Situation Report (Pol/Sitreps) section.
