Contamination cleanup

Contamination cleanup helps restore habitat for wildlife, provides new opportunities for recreation, and protects people’s health by removing toxic chemicals from the environment.
Contamination cleanup helps restore habitat for wildlife, provides new opportunities for recreation, and protects people’s health by removing toxic chemicals from the environment.

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How could our Brownfields program help your community?

Old gas stations and shuttered industrial facilities can sit empty, possibly contaminated, for years. Our Brownfields Program can help put them back to use, like it did in Palouse. 

Nuclear Waste Program intern gains new appreciation for the scope of work at Hanford

During his summer internship with Ecology's Nuclear Waste Program, Tri-Cities native Isaac Leggett expanded his knowledge about Hanford beyond anything he'd learned growing up in the area.

Tacoma Smelter Plume: Model Remedies Guidance gets an update

The Tacoma Smelter Plume Model Remedies Guidance provides straightforward directions on soil sampling and cleanup of soil contaminated with arsenic and lead. 

A Little Green for the Brownfields

EPA awarded $2.4 million in grants to five recipients to help assess and clean up local brownfields & properties that haven't been redeveloped due to potential contamination.

New Tacoma park emerges from Superfund site

Dune Peninsula at Point Defiance offers walking paths, an amphitheater, and Puget Sound views on land that was once the ASARCO smelter slag heap.

Now accepting nominations for Cleanup Rule Advisory Group

Ecology's Toxics Cleanup Program is updating Washington's Cleanup Rule and we're recruiting an advisory group to help.

Cleaning up: In the footprint of an old corner gas station

One of the largest categories of cleanup sites, statewide, is former gas stations. Gas station owners must follow newer laws and regulations to prevent leaks and spills.

Legal victory holds Canadian company accountable for polluting the upper Columbia River

In a big win for the Colville Tribes and Washington, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a landmark environmental case this week.

Hanford's PUREX tunnels: It's time for the next chapter

We're starting to work with the U.S. Department of Energy to determine the ultimate fate of the tunnel's highly radioactive contents.

Tacoma Smelter Plume Yard Program

Through our Residential Yard Sampling and Cleanup Program, we're cleaning up and replacing soil in 14 yards and a community park in the southern end of Vashon-Maury Island.