Real estate in the Tacoma smelter plume

Are you buying, selling, or working as a real estate professional within the Tacoma smelter plume?

Most properties are in areas where arsenic and lead pose only a very small, long-term health risk. Using healthy actions can lower your risk. Some areas have higher levels of contamination and homes in these areas may qualify for free soil sampling and other services.

Information for buyers, sellers, and real estate professionals

Most properties are in areas where arsenic and lead pose only a very small, long-term health risk. Using healthy actions can lower your risk. Some areas have higher levels of contamination and homes here may qualify for free soil sampling and other services.

Buying a home

  • Search if the home is in the Tacoma smelter plume and find out what's in the soil. Search the online map tool for homes sampled by Ecology. If there are no results, ask the owner if he or she took their own samples or are planning to sign up for free sampling.
  • Learn more. Contact your local Dirt Alert program for brochures and health information.

Selling a home

  • Find out what’s in the soil — search the online map tool to find out if your yard was sampled. If you cannot find your property, you may qualify for free soil sampling.
  • If you have high levels of contamination — don’t worry, we are here to help. The Yard Program will pay for soil removal and replacement in yards with arsenic over a certain threshold. If you sell your home before cleanup, the offer transfers to the new owner.
  • If lower levels are found — we can advise on how to reduce your family’s exposure using healthy actions and covering bare patches of soil in your yard.

State disclosure law

Chapter 64.06 RCW, or “Form 17,” asks if the seller knows of any soil contamination. You can get this form from your real estate broker. If you have questions about filling it out, you should seek legal advice. A buyer cannot waive the right to Form 17 if the answer to any of the questions in the “Environment” section are “yes.”

Tacoma smelter plume

Search if the home is in the Tacoma smelter plume. Enter your address in the online map tool.