Black River Cooking Oil Spill
An oil spill was discovered on the Black River behind a pump station in Renton on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. The substance appears to be cooking oil. Responders are working to identify the source and assess the volume of the spill.
Summary information
Renton, WA.
A section of the Black River in Renton with a visible sheen of cooking oil on the water's surface with containment boom to help control the spill.
Status updates
Monday, February 10, 2025 -- 6:30 p.m.
Ecology is actively investigating the source and volume of the oil spill. Preliminary tests indicate that the oil is likely peanut oil, but further analysis is still in progress.
Contractors are on-site, focusing their cleanup efforts on manually recovering oil from areas contained by booms. While they have made progress, they still need to do additional work along the shoreline. Crews will continue their response efforts.
Observers have noted wildlife in the area, but so far, no reports confirm any oil-affected wildlife. We are coordinating with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to monitor potential impacts.
Wednesday, February 5, 2025 -- 3:30 p.m.
The Washington Department of Ecology responded to a report of an oil spill in the Black River in Renton. The spill involves a large pool of water behind a pump station that discharges into the Duwamish/Green River.
We are working to identify the source and determine the volume. We’ve hired a contractor to manage the cleanup, and our team will remain on-site to oversee the response.