Arkema Inc
Facility Site ID:
1220
Cleanup Site ID:
3405
Public Comment Period June 16, 2011-July 18, 2011
In 2011, Ecology entered into a new Agreed Order (legal agreement) for cleanup. The Port of Tacoma planned to collect more data about contamination in different areas of the site to help inform a cleanup plan. This work includes an Interim Action (partial cleanup) on the Wypenn portion of the site, and may include other Interim Actions. Please see the fact sheet for more information.
Site Description
The Arkema Inc. site is located at 2901 Taylor Way in Tacoma. The property sits on the shore of the Hylebos Waterway and is bordered to the south by the Atofina Chem 3009 Taylor Way Log Yard cleanup site. The former chemical plant made products such as chlorine,sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), hydrochloric acid, and Penite (an herbicide containing arsenic). Production stopped in 1997 and most of the buildings were torn down. The Port of Tacoma bought the property in 2007, assuming liability for the cleanup.
Pollution at the site:
Wastes created during Penite production were dumped into pits. Arsenic leached from the pits into soil and groundwater beneath the site, and into nearby sediments. Wastewater from the plant was released into two areas of the site. One area, “Taylor Lake”, contained several ponds. Some ponds are highly caustic (high pH), while others have high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other contaminants. A 1985 storage tank rupture contaminated soil with sodium chlorate and hexavalent chromium.
Pollution at the site:
Wastes created during Penite production were dumped into pits. Arsenic leached from the pits into soil and groundwater beneath the site, and into nearby sediments. Wastewater from the plant was released into two areas of the site. One area, “Taylor Lake”, contained several ponds. Some ponds are highly caustic (high pH), while others have high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other contaminants. A 1985 storage tank rupture contaminated soil with sodium chlorate and hexavalent chromium.
Public Involvement Opportunities
Site use restrictions called institutional controls are in effect
Institutional controls can be fences, signs, or restrictions on how the property is used. For instance, an institutional control may prohibit installing drinking water wells or disturbing a protective cap that isolates contamination. These restrictions keep the contamination contained and keep people from being exposed to the contamination. The controls are usually listed in environmental covenants recorded with the county.
Periodic reviews are required when institutional controls are required at a site. Ecology conducts reviews to make sure the controls remain effective and the cleanup still protects human health and the environment. We conduct periodic reviews about every five years.
Institutional Controls 1
Environmental Covenant
County Recording #:
9302020332
County Recording Date:
1/18/1993
Restrictions/Requirements
- Ongoing Maintenance of Remedy
Restricted Media
- Soil
Documents 23
Legal 4
| Document Title | Document Date | Document Type |
| Arkema Inc. Agreed Order 2011 | 7/25/2011 | Agreed Order |
| Arkema Inc Restrictive Covenant January 1993 | 1/18/1993 | Environmental Covenant; Alternative Mechanism |
| ELF Atochem Consent Decree | 7/23/1992 | Consent Decree |
| Arkema Inc Consent Decree | 6/24/1987 | Consent Decree |
Public Information 2
| Document Title | Document Date | Document Type |
| Arkema Inc. Public Participation Plan | 6/3/2011 | Public Participation Plan |
| Arkema Inc. Agreed Order Fact Sheet | 6/1/2011 | Fact Sheet\Public Notices |
State Environmental Policy Act 2
| Document Title | Document Date | Document Type |
| Arkema Inc SEPA DNS (Wypenn Interim Action) | 10/1/2013 | SEPA Documents |
| Arkema Wypenn Interim Action SEPA Checklist | 9/3/2013 | SEPA Documents |
Technical Reports 15
There may be more documents related to this site. To obtain documents not available electronically, you will need to make a public records request.
Places to see print documents
-
Southwest Regional Office300 Desmond Dr SELacey, 98503-1274Please schedule an appointment to view print documents at this location.
Contaminants 5
| Contaminant Type | Soil |
Groundwater |
Surface Water |
Air |
Sediment |
Bedrock |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Halogenated Organics - Halogenated Organics | C | C | R | RA | ||
| Metals - Metals Priority Pollutants | C | C | R | RA | ||
| Reactive Wastes - Corrosive Wastes | C | C | R | RA | ||
| Other Contaminant - Conventional Contaminants, Inorganic | C | C | R | RA | ||
| Metals - Arsenic | C | C |
- S
- Suspected
- C
- Confirmed Above Cleanup Levels
- B
- Below Cleanup Levels
- RA
- Remediated-Above
- RB
- Remediated-Below
- R
- Remediated
This contaminant list was based on our best information at the time it was entered. It may not reflect current conditions at the site.
Public Comment Period October 03, 2013-October 16, 2013
The SEPA Checklist explains more about the proposed work. Ecology believes this project will not have significant negative impacts to the environment and is issuing a Determination of Non-Significance.