3 Million Pounds Toxic Waste from Area Companies Dumped in 2011

The EPA reported that Worcester area companies, including Westborough, Grafton and Shrewsbury, dumped 3 million pounds of toxic waste.

The Environmental Protection Agency reported that manufacturing companies in Worcester County, including those in Westborough, North Grafton and Shrewsbury, contributed more than 3 million pounds of toxic waste in 2011, according to GoLocalWorcester.com. More waste is sent to recycling and energy plants than previous years, but some is still sent to sewage facilities.  Westborough dumped the most chemicals into a public treatment system, said GoLocal, primarily because of GE Osmonics, a wastewater specialist company. "GE Osmonics put 66,000 pounds of a toxic solvent, N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone, through Westborough’s public wastewater treatment," reported GoLocal. "The chemical is suspected of being harmful to a developing fetus, according to …

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Shrewsbury Company Hit With DEP Fine

Worcester Sand and Gravel is working under a consent order after alleged violations of various environmental regulations.

The Worcester Sand and Gravel Company, Inc. of Shrewsbury has been assessed a $15,000 penalty by the state Department of Environmental Protection to resolve violations of the Wetlands Protection Act, the Clean Waters Act, and the Water Management Act. The penalty stemmed from violations that that occurred at its facility at 182 Holden St. DEP personnel inspected the facility after a citizen complained, and identified the following issues: erosion and sedimentation from site runoff that affected Shirley Street Pond, the discharge of process water from on-site operations due to the company’s failure to properly separate process water from storm-water and have properly sized settling basins, and the failure of the company to meter water …