Univar USA Inc Kent
Facility Site ID:
13862483
Cleanup Site ID:
969
What's New?
Last updated May, 2024
We are continuing to monitor the impacted groundwater and cleanup treatments at the facility.
Univar's 5-year review of their cleanup went out for public comment May 22 - June 23, 2023. To read this review, scroll down to the "Documents: Technical Reports" section and click on "Periodic Review Report". Univar completed an environmental covenant in 2022. The covenant restricts how the property can be used to protect human health and the environment. The cleanup treatments at the Univar site are working well and we continue to monitor the progress.
We are continuing to monitor the impacted groundwater and cleanup treatments at the facility.
Univar's 5-year review of their cleanup went out for public comment May 22 - June 23, 2023. To read this review, scroll down to the "Documents: Technical Reports" section and click on "Periodic Review Report". Univar completed an environmental covenant in 2022. The covenant restricts how the property can be used to protect human health and the environment. The cleanup treatments at the Univar site are working well and we continue to monitor the progress.
Site Background
Univar USA, Inc. is a nationwide company that stores, packages, and distributes a variety of chemical products. The Univar facility in Kent has a warehouse, office, dock, and parking areas on an eleven-acre site, surrounded by other commercial and industrial properties.
Since 1974, Univar has stored, packaged, and distributed various chemical products from its Kent facility. It has operated under four other corporate names:
Van Waters and Rogers, Inc. (VWR, 1974 – 2001)
Vopak USA, Inc. (2001 – 2002)
Univar USA, Inc. (2002 – 2019)
Univar Solutions USA, Inc. (2019 – present)
These were name changes only and were not changes in ownership.
From 1974 to 2007, Univar was considered an active dangerous waste management facility. However, it was not subject to permitting requirements under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) until hazardous waste regulations became effective in 1980.
On October 31, 2007:
Ecology conditionally accepted certification for clean closure of the aboveground portions of the Dangerous Waste Management Units (DWMUs).
Ecology agreed to address below ground contamination under a corrective action-only RCRA permit.
On August 5, 2020, Univar renewed their corrective action hazardous waste permit. You can find copies of these documents in the "View Documents" section under the "Technical Reports" section on this site.
Since 1974, Univar has stored, packaged, and distributed various chemical products from its Kent facility. It has operated under four other corporate names:
Van Waters and Rogers, Inc. (VWR, 1974 – 2001)
Vopak USA, Inc. (2001 – 2002)
Univar USA, Inc. (2002 – 2019)
Univar Solutions USA, Inc. (2019 – present)
These were name changes only and were not changes in ownership.
From 1974 to 2007, Univar was considered an active dangerous waste management facility. However, it was not subject to permitting requirements under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) until hazardous waste regulations became effective in 1980.
On October 31, 2007:
Ecology conditionally accepted certification for clean closure of the aboveground portions of the Dangerous Waste Management Units (DWMUs).
Ecology agreed to address below ground contamination under a corrective action-only RCRA permit.
On August 5, 2020, Univar renewed their corrective action hazardous waste permit. You can find copies of these documents in the "View Documents" section under the "Technical Reports" section on this site.
Site Contamination
Beginning in the 1990s, Ecology investigated contamination from waste management activities and accidental chemical releases. Studies showed that soil in two areas of the eastern portion of the site are contaminated with organic chemicals and chlorinated compounds.
Groundwater is also contaminated. Most of the groundwater contamination remains located beneath the property. Some contaminants in the deeper part of the aquifer have flowed north under 212th Street and beneath an adjacent industrial property.
Groundwater is also contaminated. Most of the groundwater contamination remains located beneath the property. Some contaminants in the deeper part of the aquifer have flowed north under 212th Street and beneath an adjacent industrial property.
Cleanup
The Department of Ecology issued an agreed order (a legal agreement) requiring Univar to plan and implement a site cleanup. In 2007, Ecology selected the preferred cleanup activities from the Feasibility Study report.
Univar has been implementing the Cleanup Action Plan, which includes:
Univar has been implementing the Cleanup Action Plan, which includes:
- Treatment of contaminated areas using enhanced reductive dechlorination.
- Monitored natural attenuation for treatment of the down-gradient groundwater plume.
- Institutional controls to assure long-term protection of human health and the environment.
- An environmental covenant placed on the property. This covenant is required since contaminants in excess of cleanup standards will remain on the property after the cleanup action.
- Treatment of the source areas and ongoing groundwater sampling. The sampling shows how much groundwater contamination is still present. The sampling information is also used to assess the effectiveness of treatment, so it can be adjusted as necessary.
Documents 27
Legal 2
Document Title | Document Date | Document Type |
Environmental Covenant | 8/2/2022 | Environmental Covenant; Alternative Mechanism |
Univar Kent Agreed Order_Signed | 8/25/2008 | Agreed Order |
Public Information 7
Document Title | Document Date | Document Type |
Univar Public Notice (Spanish) 2023 | 5/17/2023 | Fact Sheet\Public Notices |
Univar Public Participation Plan 2023 | 4/22/2023 | Public Participation Plan |
Univar Public Notice Mailer 2023 | 4/22/2023 | Fact Sheet\Public Notices |
Univar Public Participation Plan FINAL | 8/5/2020 | Public Participation Plan |
Univar Kent Public Notice | 6/22/2020 | Fact Sheet\Public Notices |
Fact Sheet for Univar-Kent Draft RI/FS/CAP | 7/15/2009 | Fact Sheet\Public Notices |
Univar Kent AO and DW permit fact sheet | 8/27/2008 | Fact Sheet\Public Notices |
Technical Reports 18
There may be more documents related to this site. To obtain documents not available electronically, you will need to make a public records request.
Contaminants 3
Contaminant Type | Soil |
Groundwater |
Surface Water |
Air |
Sediment |
Bedrock |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Halogenated Organics - Halogenated Organics | C | C | ||||
Metals - Metals Priority Pollutants | C | C | ||||
Non-Halogenated Organics - Petroleum Products-Unspecified | 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.