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We are cleaning up lead and arsenic in residential and industrial areas of Northeast Everett that were contaminated by the Everett Smelter. We are also encouraging property owners and residents near the former smelter to enroll in our free soil sampling program to see if they qualify for soil replacement.
Asarco operated the Everett Smelter from 1894–1912, but contamination wasn't discovered until 1990. Smelter operations left high levels of arsenic and lead on the former smelter property. Contaminated particles from the smokestacks settled over the north Everett area. The former smelter property was cleaned up in the early 2000s, and cleanup of the wider contaminated site is ongoing. The Everett Smelter cleanup site is a 1.1 square mile area around the former facility.
The cleanup site is divided into residential (uplands) and lowlands cleanup areas. The two areas are on different cleanup schedules.
We've completed cleanup work on more than half of the roughly 700 homes in the uplands area and at American Legion Memorial Park. We've sampled for contamination at all the properties that requested it. Read more details about cleanup progress.
From 1999 to 2007 we cleaned up the most highly-contaminated areas, including the former smelter property. In 2009, we received funding through a bankruptcy settlement with Asarco to continue cleanup work. From 2009 to 2019, we spent most of the settlement funds on residential cleanups in the uplands area and on developing a cleanup plan for the lowlands area.
In 2019, we received funds from the Legislature to continue cleanup.
Work progress as of 2025
Uplands
As of September 2025, soil cleanup construction for the 2022 cleanup group is now complete. Cleanup plans are underway for the 2024 cleanup group.
Lowlands
Work with the City of Everett to repair the existing stormwater drainage system in the northeastern portion of the lowland is complete. These repairs prevent contamination from the smelter area from reaching the Snohomish River.
We are working with an engineering firm to design a cap and stormwater management system in Area B1 of the lowland.
Cleanup construction began on 19 properties (2019 cleanup group).
We finalized cleanup plans for the 38 properties in the 2020 cleanup group.
First home visits began for the 32 properties in the new 2022 cleanup group.
Six previously unresponsive properties had soil sampling conducted.
Lowlands
We began working with the City of Everett on improvements to the existing stormwater drainage system in northeastern Everett.
In April 2021, the governor lifted the hiring and contracting freeze put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing Everett smelter cleanup work to move forward. We were also able to hire an engineer and environmental specialist to complete the project team.
Uplands
We conducted soil sampling on 26 previously unresponsive properties.
Engineering design plans were finalized for the 2019 cleanup group.
We held first and second home visits to finalize the cleanup plans for the 38 properties in the 2020 cleanup group.
Due to COVID-19 and a directive from Gov. Jay Inslee, all contracted work on the Everett Smelter Project stopped in May 2020. This directive was issued because of poor state budget projections due to the pandemic. We were unable to hire contractors to do the soil sampling and soil removal planned for later in 2020.
In the fall, we were able to do field work again, and were able to do work on the project that did not require a contractor.
Uplands
We signed-up 25 unsampled properties for the free soil sampling program.
We finalized cleanup plans for the 2019 cleanup group and completed the first home visits with the 2020 cleanup group.
Ecology and community stakeholders secured new funding to continue contamination cleanup in north Everett.
Uplands
Another round of soil sampling occurred in the Delta and Northwest neighborhoods.
We completed soil removal and landscape restoration at Wiggums Hollow Park and Viola Oursler Overlook.
Uplands
Sampling continued as new properties signed-up for the free soil sampling program.
We completed construction on 11 properties in the Delta neighborhood and began planning for the cleanup of Wiggums Hollow Park and Viola Oursler Overlook.
Work began with the 2019 residential cleanup group.
Lowlands
We completed construction at the intersection of East Marine View Dr and SR-529. This construction removed highly contaminated soil under State Route 529 ramps remaining from the original smelter. The contaminated soil was polluting the Snohomish River.
Uplands
We finished soil sampling on all the properties that had requested it.
Soil removal construction began on 11 properties in the Delta neighborhood.
Lowlands
We postponed cleanup of the A1 area in the lowlands and highly contaminated soil under State Route 529 ramps until 2018.
A new groundwater study began for the B2 area of the lowlands. It was used to design the cleanup plan for this area.
Uplands
We completed soil sampling on 45 individual properties, Pine Street Mobile Home Park, Everett Housing Authority’s 12 Pines neighborhood, and the Baker Heights neighborhood.
The12 Pines neighborhood did not need cleanup.
Most of the Baker Heights neighborhood did not need cleanup.
Soil removal began on 11 properties in the Delta neighborhood.
We completed soil removal on 22 properties north of Broadway St.
Lowlands
After public review and comment, we finalized the Lowlands Cleanup Action Plan and related documents. Technical reports and public involvement materials are available in our online document repository.
Uplands
We completed the soil removal and landscape restoration project at American Legion Memorial Park.
Lowlands
After public review and comment, we finalized the Supplemental Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study reports for the lowlands area. Technical reports and public involvement materials are available in our online document repository.
We offer free language services about our programs and services for people whose primary language is not English. We can provide written information in your preferred language and interpreters in person or over the telephone.
