We are cleaning up lead and arsenic contamination left behind by the Everett Smelter, in residential and industrial areas of Northeast Everett. 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.
The Everett Smelter was operated by Asarco from 1894–1912, but the 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 a 1.1 square mile area.
We're more than halfway done
We've completed cleanup work on more than half of the approximately 700 homes in the uplands area and at American Legion Memorial Park. We have sampled for contamination at all the properties that requested it. For details, see our cleanup progress page.
From 1999–2007, we managed cleanup of 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
February 2021
All contracted work on the Everett Smelter Project stopped in May 2020 due to COVID-19 and a directive from Gov. Jay Inslee. We are now able to hire contractors to begin work on the 2019 and 2020 cleanup groups and complete soil sampling on the properties that requested it in early 2020. The contracting process will be slower than normal because of the year-long backlog.
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
Ecology and community stakeholders secured new funding to continue contamination cleanup in north Everett.
Uplands
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.
Contact information
Project Hotline
425-446-1024
Staff will return all calls within 24 hours including weekends.
Sandra Matthews
Project Manager
sandra.matthews@ecy.wa.gov
425-649-7206
Meredith Waldref
Community Outreach Specialist
meredith.waldref@ecy.wa.gov
425-649-7191