Avery Dennison To Conduct Additional Soil Testing at Mary Dennison Park

After significant discussions between the Avery Dennison Corporation, and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) and the Town of Framingham, the Avery Dennison Corp. has agreed to begin additional testing at Mary Dennison Park.

The testing will start tomorrow, Dec. 18.

In September, the Town fenced and closed the park’s eastern playground, after consulting with MassDEP, when tests showed high levels of lead in the topsoil in that area.

Framingham Patch was the first media outlet to report on the closure of the playground at the park.

Since that time the Town of Framingham has completed additional soil sampling and testing and ground water sampling testing.

The approved sampling and testing program approved by MassDEP and about to be carried out by Avery Dennison Corp. will include tests for a wide range of chemicals and compounds of concern reflecting the nature of material that exists in the former dump that exists under the park.

Avery Dennison merged with Dennison Manufacturing Company, who gave the Mary Dennison Park property to the Town between 1956 and 1964.

The property was used as a dump from the mid-1920s to the late 1940s or early 1950’s.

As such MassDEP has named Avery Dennison as a so-called “Responsible Party” and directed that they become a party to the site evaluation.

The test results will not be available until January.

Earlier this year, the Town notified the state and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) it discovered toxins in the soil of the playground, located off Beaver Street.

In March, the Town hired an environmental consultant to drill in 15 locations to get soil samples between 6 inches and 6 feet in the 17-acre park and uncovered high levels of lead and other metals.

The soil samples from the top 12 inches, except for one, had low levels of contaminates. Several of the deeper soil samples had higher levels of metals, lead and arsenic, but people using the park would not come into contact with them, said the consultant.

In May residents questioned why more soil samples, beyond the 15 taken, have not been completed.

In May, the Town of Framingham held a neighborhood meeting to discuss he safety of the playground.