Alton, Rhode Island

Alton is a small village of approximately 250 residents within the town of Richmond, Rhode Island, United States.

Residents of Alton have complained about Charbert polluting their air and water since 1978, when a rotten egg smell (hydrogen sulfide) was first perceived.

[2] This is primarily due to Charbert's five open-air, unlined lagoons used to treat its wastewater from factory production.

Nineteen homes in Alton had their water tested in 2004 by the Department of Health.

Charbert paid for these tests, which considered the levels of 63 different VOCs (volatile organic compound) and MTBE (methyl tert-butyl ether) in the drinking water supply.