Studying contamination at Rayonier: What we've learned

Port Angeles Harbor sediment study reports

Port Angeles Harbor is one of seven Puget Sound bays at the center of the Puget Sound Initiative. We used special funding from the Puget Sound Initiative to learn where sediment in the harbor was contaminated and to study the nature of that contamination.

After the sediment study, we looked further into the sources of sediment pollution and developed a strategy for cleaning up the harbor. You can read more about these studies on our harbor-wide projects page.

Off-property soil dioxin study

We studied soil in land near the former mill to learn whether the mill contributed to elevated dioxin levels and to look for specific areas of concern. In 2011, we released a draft report on the study.

Learn more:

• Off-property soil dioxin study fact sheet
• Report summary and reading guide
• Off-Property Soil Dioxin Study Frequently Asked Questions
• Rayonier Mill Off-Property Soil Dioxin Study

North Olympic Peninsula regional background study

This study investigated regional background contamination in the Port Angeles Harbor area. Regional background contamination refers to the concentration of a contaminant within a department-defined geographic area that is primarily attributable to diffuse sources, such as atmospheric deposition or storm water. Regional background contamination cannot be attributed to a specific source or release, meaning that this contamination cannot be linked to a single contamination area like Rayonier Mill.

Understanding the regional background is an important step in this cleanup. Even if we removed every contaminant in Port Angeles Harbor, the regional background level of contaminants would likely re-contaminate the area.

In 2013, an update to the sediment management cleanup standards introduced the concept of background chemical concentration levels to help us set appropriate cleanups, taking account of the regional background.

In 2016, we completed a study of the regional background levels of several contaminants found in Port Angeles Harbor. In combination with our understanding of the risk contaminants pose to human health and the environment, the results of the regional background study helped us decide cleanup levels.

You can read more about the North Olympic Peninsula Regional Background Study on our harbor-wide projects page.

Interim Action Report: Volumes I, II, and III

This report defined the areas of the Rayonier Mill cleanup that are included within the study area. The study area refers to the former mill property and the marine environment next to the former mill. It's divided into uplands and marine areas. This report also identifies which contaminants are present in each area, as well as their approximate extent.

Rayonier created this report under Ecology oversight. We held a comment period in 2019 for public review of the draft remedial investigation and feasibility study for the study area (Volumes I, II, and III). After the comment period we finalized the reports.

Upland Data Summary (Volume I)

The upland portion of the Rayonier Mill Study Area is the 75-acre former mill site. The Upland Data Summary (Volume I), Plates, and Appendices describe the types and amounts of contamination in this area.

The contamination varies across the Upland Study Area. Most of the worst “hot spots” were removed with partial cleanups in the 1990s and 2000s. Rayonier removed 30,000 tons of contaminated soil from the site. Remaining contamination is spotty and found across much of the upland area.

There are some areas where the groundwater has a low or high pH (acidity or alkalinity). This can make some metals move out of soil and into groundwater. Groundwater here is too close to the saltwater harbor to be a source of drinking water. Instead, our goal of cleaning up groundwater is to prevent contamination spreading to marine waters and sediment.

Contaminants found in soils and groundwater in the Upland Study Area include:

• polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
• metals, such as arsenic and lead
• dioxins
• petroleum hydrocarbons
• polychlorinated biphenys (PCBs)
• ammonia

People and wildlife visiting the upland can be exposed to contamination by accidentally swallowing contaminated soil. The goal of soil cleanup is to make the area safer for human health and the environment.

Marine Data Summary (Volume II)

The Marine Study Area is about 1,300 acres of marine environment next to the mill property. The Marine Data Summary (Volume II) describes the types and amounts of contaminants in sediments in this area. Many of the same contaminants found in upland soil are also in the sediment, including PAHs, metals, dioxins, PCBs, and wood waste.

People can be exposed to contaminated sediment by touching it with bare skin or accidentally eating it. People and wildlife who eat fish and clams that have accumulated contaminants in their tissues may be exposed to contaminants. The goal of sediment cleanup is to protect human health and wildlife from contaminants that get into fish and shellfish.

Cleanup Alternatives Evaluation (Volume III)

The Cleanup Alternatives Evaluation (Volume III) describes and compares several options for cleaning up soil, groundwater, and sediments in the study area. To evaluate these options, we consider how long each cleanup might take, what they cost, and how well each option could protect human health and the environment.

Soil

Options for cleaning up contaminated soil include excavating soil and either hauling it away or consolidating the contaminated soil on-site. Options vary in the size of the area to be excavated. If contaminated soil is left on the property, then a cap will cover the contaminated soil. An environmental covenant will be put in place to monitor the cap and review its effectiveness.

Groundwater

Groundwater is not a source of drinking water, and the primary concern is to protect against contamination moving from the groundwater to marine waters and sediments. Cleanup options vary from treating groundwater at the shoreline to treating it throughout the upland. Treatments include injecting air into groundwater to increase the rate of breakdown of contaminants or using chemicals to treat groundwater.

Sediment

Cleanup options for marine sediment include dredging, using fill, and capping. Enhanced monitored natural recovery means placing a thin layer of clean sand on top of the sediment and the activity of animals living in the sediment mixes the sand and contaminated sediments. A cap is a mixture of sand, gravel, and other materials that isolates the contaminated sediment under the cap.