Cleaning up

In Washington, we've identified over 13,000 contaminated sites in need of cleanup and over 7,000 of those sites have been cleaned up using Washington State’s environmental cleanup law — the Model Toxics Control Act.
In Washington, we've identified over 13,000 contaminated sites in need of cleanup and over 7,000 of those sites have been cleaned up using Washington State’s environmental cleanup law — the Model Toxics Control Act.

Search Blog Posts

92 results.

Cleanup: The slow slide into Swift Creek

The Sumas Mountain landslide is a slow slide that has clogged and flooded Swift Creek for decades. A few years ago it was found to contain naturally-occurring asbestos and metals.

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.

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.

Video highlights Washington's innovative cleanup law

We're celebrating 30 years of cleaning up Washington under our environmental cleanup law & the Model Toxics Control Act. To date, more than 7,000 sites in Washington have been cleaned up.

Cleaning up: It’s about turf in two Everett parks

We’re pulling up sod and replacing soil in two northeast Everett parks. Toxic metals and other particles from the Everett Smelter contaminated the grounds.

New Online Map: Dirt Alert

This month we launched our new Dirt Alert Map. This online map focuses on the Tacoma Smelter Plume and  covers other areas in the state where arsenic- and lead-related soil contamination may exist.

Cleaning up: Taking it to the streets in Everett

We’re cleaning up a major intersection in Everett where part of a smelter that produced lead and arsenic once stood.

Tacoma Smelter Plume Yard Program progress

To address soil contamination left behind by the former Asarco smelter, we're breaking ground, removing dirt, and cleaning up 39 yards in North Tacoma and 16 yards on Vashon-Maury Island.

Next phase of Port Gamble Bay cleanup is underway
Long used for recreation, food harvesting, and other culturally important activities, Port Gamble Bay, home to the Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe, is one of seven Puget Sound Initiative priority bays.
Cleaning up: Over half of Everett Smelter Site residential yard cleanups done!
We're making progress cleaning up contamination left behind by the former Asarco smelter in northeast Everett.