Harvest Orchard Park Retirement

The Orchard Park Independent Retirement Living community is located on the northwest comer of the intersection of North 34th Avenue and Fairbanks Avenue in Yakima. The site is approximately 4.19-acres in size and operates as an independent living complex which was constructed in 1988. Prior to construction of the retirement center, the property was part of a larger fruit orchard. Historically, the Yakima Valley region has been used for agricultural purposes and as a result pesticides including DDT and arsenic-containing compounds were used beginning in the 1940s. Various site investigation reports indicate pesticide contamination in soil at the site.

In 2010, a remedial action was conducted at the site which included the excavation, removal, and disposal of a total of 906 tons of contaminated soils. The cleanup action conducted at the Site also involved capping of contaminated soils. Capping is an effective method of preventing exposure to contaminated soils when used in conjunction with institutional controls. Institutional controls are necessary to prevent activities that may damage the soil cap and to inform future property owners of contaminated soil remaining at the site. For the site to be eligible for a no further action determination, institutional controls in the form of an environmental covenant must be implemented.

Ecology conducts periodic reviews every 5 years at sites that have institutional controls. The review is intended to examine the effectiveness of cleanup activities and to assure the continued protection of human health and the environment.

Periodic review results

Based upon the site visit conducted on June 7, 2016, no repair, maintenance or contingency actions have been required. 

The cleanup actions completed at the site fail to be protective of human health and the environment.

Soil cleanup levels have not been met at the site and the cleanup actions do not comply with cleanup standards under WAC 173-340-740(6)(f), since the long-term integrity of the containment systems is not ensured and the requirements for containment technologies have not been met.

An environmental covenant must be recorded for the site to be eligible for a no further action determination.

Based on this periodic review, additional actions are required by the property owner. It is the property owner’s responsibility to continue to inspect the site to assure that the integrity of the surface cover is maintained.