Atofina Chem 3009 Taylor Way Log Yard

The Atofina Chem Log Yard Site is located at 3009 Taylor Way in the Tacoma Tideflats. It sits between Taylor Way and the Hylebos Waterway, with the cleanup site directly to the north at 2901 Taylor Way. Former owners included Dunlap Towing Co., Echo Lumber Co., and Arkema Chemical Inc. The Atofina Chem site was used as a log sort yard until the mid-1980s. In 2007, the site was sold to the Port with two other properties. The Port is the main Potentially Liable Person (PLP) responsible for cleanup.

The log sort yard was originally contaminated with wood waste and heavy metals. Slag from the former Asarco smelter in North Tacoma was used to build the road bed for the log sort yard. The slag leached heavy metals such as arsenic, copper, lead and zinc into the soil.

In 1992, Arkema’s parent company, Pennwalt Chemicals, created a landfill for the contaminated soils, wood waste, and slag. This was done under a Consent Decree (legal agreement) with Ecology. This landfill was covered over and lined to keep contaminants from escaping. The Port of Tacoma removed the landfill to make the area safer for reuse.

In 2016, Ecology and the Port of Tacoma entered into a legal agreement to begin long term monitoring at the Atofina Chem 3009 Taylor Way Log Yard site.

Previously, the port began an Interim Action (partial) cleanup under a 2008 Agreed Order (legal agreement) with the Department of Ecology. The Interim Action work plan was for the clean up of a toxic-waste landfill.

The first phase of this Interim Action was completed in Spring 2009. During a second phase of interim actions, the port removed remaining soils that were contaminated with arsenic.