Hahn Motor Company

Hahn Motor Company 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.

Hahn Motor Company was constructed in 1948. The maintenance area of the Hahn building had two undergound storage tanks (USTs) that store used oil. There were two waste water floor sumps inside the building. Surface run-off the auto repair area drained into the sumps which drained into the city sewer system. 

A study of potential for soil and groundwater contamination was completed into 1989. Three soil borings and two hand auger holes were drilled and sampled for total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). The report documented PCE contamination in the soil. Groundwater sampling showed no PCE above cleanup levels.

After a Site Hazard Assessment conducted in 1991, the Site was ranked a “3” on the Hazardous Sites List. The Hazardous Sites List is a statewide list of contaminated properties.  Sites can be ranked from a “1” to “5”. A rank of “1” is the highest level of environmental concern compared to other sites on the List, and a rank of “5” is the lowest.

In 2007, the waste oil tanks were removed from the site.

In February 2002, a subsurface investigation was conducted at the site, confirming contamination in the soil and groundwater.

This site is in our Voluntary Cleanup Program, which provides technical help to owners of contaminated sites.

Voluntary Cleanup Program customers pay fees to cover our costs for technical help and reviewing cleanup reports. Sites in this program must meet the same cleanup standards as sites Ecology manages under legal orders.