Facility Site ID: 487 Cleanup Site ID: 3758

What Is The Yakima Railroad Area?

Crest Linen is a part of the Yakima Railroad Area (YRRA). The Yakima Railroad Area is approximately six square miles in size and includes parts of the cities of Yakima and Union Gap. The Yakima Railroad Area groundwater is contaminated with tetrachloroethylene (PCE or PERC) from past industrial use, and is centered around the railroad/industrial corridor of the greater Yakima area.

PCE is a manufactured chemical that is widely used for dry cleaning of fabrics and for metal-degreasing. It is also used to make other chemicals and is used in some consumer products.

Exposure to PCE can be from the air, chemical use, soil, or water. PCE can affect the kidneys, liver, nervous system, and reproductive system, as well as unborn children. There is also an increased risk of certain types of cancer.

More information about potential sources of PCE and associated health risks can be found on the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) website.

Site Description

The Crest Linen site was used as a dry cleaning facility for decades. Between 1959 and 1985, PCE was used on-site as a dry cleaning solvent. 

In 1987, Yakima County purchased the property and used it as a storage facility for stolen goods.

In 1992, the site was added to Ecology’s Hazardous Sites List with a ranking of “1”. Sites on the Hazardous Sites List are a priority for Ecology, and have completed a Site Hazard Assessment (SHA). An SHA provides information about the environmental risk of the site. Risk is based on the amount of contaminants, how toxic they are, and how easily they can come in contact with people and the environment. Sites are ranked relative to each other on a scale of “1” to “5”; with a rank of “5” being the lowest.

What's Been Done?

In 1990, Yakima County completed a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA). The assessment identified a gasoline service station and a laundry business as former property uses.  
 
A Phase II ESA was conducted in 1991. Soil borings showed elevated concentrations of PCE in groundwater and soil. In addition to PCE, elevated levels of chloroform, toluene, xylene, and dichloromethane were discovered.

Ecology and Yakima County entered into a de minimus Consent Decree in 1994.

What's Happening Now?

Ecology determined the site is no longer a threat to human health and the environment and removed it from the Hazardous Sites List in 2000.
Legal 6
Technical Reports 3
Document Title Document Date Document Type
Crest Linen - Site Hazard Assessment 3/18/1991 Site Hazard Assessment Report
Crest Linen Phase II Site Assessment rpt 2/1/1991 Site Specific Technical Document - other
Crest Linen Phase I Site Assessment draft rpt 8/1/1990 Site Specific Technical Document - other
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

  • Central Regional Office
    1250 W Alder St
    Union Gap, 98903-0009
    Please schedule an appointment to view print documents at this location.

Contaminants 1

Contaminant Type
Soil
Groundwater
Surface Water
Air
Sediment
Bedrock
Halogenated Organics - Halogenated Organics RB RB
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.