Caton Limited Purpose Landfill, Selah

Join us for a public meeting either in-person or online. We will provide information about the Caton Limited Purpose Landfill and answer your questions.

The meeting is in response to more than 10 requests from the public received during the comment period held from May 18 through July 31, 2026. The public comment period requested input and comments on the Agreed Order and Public Participation Plan for the site, located at 1500 Naches Wenas Road in Selah.

Submit your questions

Please submit questions in advance.

Next steps

We are preparing responses to previously submitted comments. Ecology will publish our responses to public comments by Sept. 30, 2026.

Site background

The Caton Landfill was first permitted in 1997 as a construction and demolition debris landfill. The landfill is unlined and stopped accepting waste on April 14, 2025. The Caton Landfill does not have a solid waste handling permit.

Fire history

In November 2022, a fire broke out in the waste. It was first reported based on smoke emissions. Later, open flames broke through the surface on the east flank of the landfill.

Workers at the landfill put soil on waste over the fire to smother the fire. In March 2023, landfill staff determined the fire was out. However, Ecology staff observations as recently as February 2026 and recent measurements by Caton Landfill personnel indicate a fire is still smoldering in the landfill.

Waste characterization and placement

Ecology staff observed disposal practices that may have resulted in the release of hazardous materials to the environment at the landfill, including disposal of vehicles, campers, boats, and tires. In addition, we believe waste was disposed in areas that were never permitted for waste handling or disposal.

Investigation and cleanup

Ecology determined the apparent ongoing fire in the subsurface, along with past disposal practices, may release hazardous substances to the environment. In April 2026, we negotiated an agreed order for a remedial investigation with Caton Landfill and Recycling LLC. An agreed order is a legal agreement between Ecology and the potentially liable person outlining the expectations, process, and schedule for site cleanup. The order requires the landfill to delineate and characterize the underground fire and hazardous compounds in the waste.