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OFFICIALS BEGIN ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP FROM MILL FIRE

Release Date: 08/04/1999
Contact Information: Alice Kaufman, EPA Community Affairs Office, (617) 918-1064

Boston - The New England office of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) have begun environmental cleanup operations resulting from the massive fire of the Fischerville Mill in Grafton. EPA has allocated $100,000 to collect and bag suspected asbestos-containing debris left from Tuesday's fire. DEP will collect the bagged materials for safe disposal. EPA will be taking samples today and will have the results tomorrow to determine if the debris that is scattered in neighborhoods in Grafton, Hopedale, Upton and Northbridge contains asbestos.

Officials urge residents not to remove fire debris from their property. Citizens are advised to call the Grafton Fire Department or the citizen's local fire department, and EPA contractors will come to properly dispose of the material.