Arkema Inc
Cleanup Status
Arkema Inc. is being cleaned up through Washington’s cleanup law, the Models Toxic Control Act. For more information about MTCA’s cleanup process, please visit Ecology’s cleanup process website.
As of 2025, the Port of Tacoma has wrapped up its study of the site. They are currently considering different cleanup options and working on developing their plans on how to clean up the site. Ecology is overseeing the Port as they conduct this cleanup work. Once the Port finishes their cleanup plans, the following information will be made available for public comment:
- A remedial investigation: This is the Port’s findings from when they studied the site.
- A feasibility study: This is an overview of the cleanup options that the Port considered, how they considered them, and their reasoning for pursuing or not pursuing each option.
- A cleanup action plan: This plan explains how cleanup will be carried out for the whole site, why the chosen options were selected, and gives details on the cleanup schedule, standards, and requirements.
Stay informed:
- Subscribe for site updates by clicking the blue “Subscribe to this site” button at the top of this page. Subscribers will receive automated email updates for open comment periods, new document uploads, or changes to the cleanup status. Visit Ecology’s blog to learn more about this feature.
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Description
The Arkema Inc. site was formerly a chemical plant, in the past called Atofina Chemicals, Elf Atochem, and Pennwalt. It is located at 2901 Taylor Way, on the shore of the Hylebos Waterway. The Port of Tacoma bought the property in 2007.
Past Use
The site was used as a chemical manufacturing facility from 1927 to 1997 and the majority of the manufacturing operations were performed in the former Central Manufacturing Area. The products that were manufactured in that area included chlorine, sodium hydroxide (caustic), sodium chlorate, hydrochloric acid, and sodium arsenite (Penite). Penite was manufactured between circa 1944 and the early 1970s. The remaining chlorine-based manufacturing facility operations ceased in 1997, at which time the manufacturing facilities were dismantled and removed from the site. The Port removed all remaining aboveground structures in 2008.
Present Use
The site is vacant. It is currently covered with vegetation, crushed rock, and some former building/tank foundations.
Future Use
The Port of Tacoma is preparing plans to put this portion of the site back into productive use. The Port's vision for the 2901 Taylor Way portion of the site is the Hylebos Barge Terminal Concept. This concept includes removing/addressing the numerous former infrastructure features at or below ground surface, installing an upland working surface that is suitable for Port Maritime and Industrial Use, and enabling marine dependent use for this property (e.g., upgrading the existing dock).
Contamination
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.
History Of Cleanup Efforts
Since the 1980s, several cleanup activities have been completed at the site. These cleanup activities were completed according to the Clean Water Act, CERCLA, and MTCA. Approximately $16 million dollars have been spent through February 2021 to investigate and evaluate the site, and approximately $66 million dollars have been spent through February 2021 to clean up the site.
Completed remedial cleanup actions include:
- improving previous stormwater and wastewater systems,
- removing soil and sediment,
- installing soil and sediment caps,
- installing a Sheet Pile Wall (SPW),
- installing and operating a Pump & Treat (P&T) system for the main arsenic plume,
- conducting in-situ stabilization for the main arsenic plume,
- remediating volatile organic compound (VOC) source areas, and
- completing remediation for miscellaneous other releases.
Contaminants above state cleanup levels still remain at the site. These contaminants will be addressed through future MTCA cleanup actions.
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
Restrictions/Requirements
- Ongoing Maintenance of Remedy
Restricted Media
- Soil
Documents 33
Legal 5
| Document Title | Document Date | Document Type |
| Arkema Inc Draft Agreed Order Amendment | 10/31/2025 | Agreed Order Amendment |
| 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 |
Outreach Information 4
| Document Title | Document Date | Document Type |
| Arkema Inc - Public Comment Period Extension Postcard | 12/30/2025 | Fact Sheet\Public Notices |
| Arkema Inc - Fact Sheet for 2025 Public Comment Period | 12/4/2025 | Fact Sheet\Public Notices |
| Arkema Inc. Public Participation Plan | 12/2/2025 | Public Participation Plan |
| Arkema Inc. Agreed Order Fact Sheet | 6/1/2011 | Fact Sheet\Public Notices |
State Environmental Policy Act 3
| Document Title | Document Date | Document Type |
| Arkema Interim Action SEPA Determination of Nonsignificance | 11/17/2025 | SEPA Documents |
| 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 21
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
Public Comment Period
Ecology invites you to review and share your comments on documents related to the cleanup of hazardous substances at the Arkema Inc cleanup site. Your feedback is an important part of this process.
We are seeking public input on the following:
To aid in your review, we prepared a fact sheet (download 1.16 MB). The fact sheet provides context about the site and summarizes the key points of the documents listed above.
We also created a postcard mailer (download 144 KB) to give public notice of the extension that was granted during the public comment period. The extension changed the end date from January 6, 2026 to February 20, 2026.
After the public comment period, we will carefully consider and respond to comments. We will work with the Port of Tacoma to finalize the documents, including any changes based on public comments. We will post updates and a Responsiveness Summary on Ecology’s Arkema Inc webpage once they are available. The interim action design and construction will begin following the schedule outlined in the Interim Action Plan and Agreed Order Amendment.
How to Submit Comments:
The public comment period is open from 8:00 AM on December 4, 2025, to 11:59 PM on February 20, 2026.
You can submit your comments to Ecology using one of the following methods:
Sam Meng, Site Manager
Washington Department of Ecology
PO Box 47775
Olympia, WA 98504-7775
Email: Sam.Meng@ecy.wa.gov
Questions?
For any questions regarding this public comment period, please contact Abby Zabrodsky, Public Involvement Coordinator:
Stay Informed:
To receive site-specific updates about this site, please click on the blue “Subscribe to this site” button at the top of this page. Those subscribed will receive a weekly automated email update whenever there is a comment period, a new document, or an update to the cleanup details. Visit Ecology’s blog to learn more about this new feature.
If you’d like to be emailed about updates regarding this cleanup and others in the region, please subscribe to Ecology’s Tacoma Tideflats/Commencement Bay email list.