As we near the
end of September, we are wrapping up soil replacement on Group 3 (21 yards) and
beginning construction on Group 5 (10 yards) (see map). We removed soil on half
of the residential yards in Group 4 (50 yards) and are on track to finish
construction on these properties by February 2017.
Heavy equipment in front of a yard receiving soil replacement. |
Prioritizing work on yards with the highest risk
This year, we
are mostly working on yards within the Study Area (see map). However, ten
(Group 5 on map) of the 81 yards scheduled for this year are located outside of
the Study Area. These properties have the
highest levels of soil contamination that we have found within the plume
(arsenic over 230 parts per million).
The yards that
qualify for soil replacement may appear to be randomly scattered throughout the
Yard
Program service area. However, we are prioritizing these yards because the
levels of arsenic or lead pose a higher risk than other yards. The soil replacement
work on these ten yards is partially funded by the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
A map of properties receiving soil replacement in 2016. |
Working with hundreds of property owners each year…
We are working
with nearly 300 property owners at any one time. Each year, we continue to communicate with the
previous year’s participants, work with residents currently receiving soil replacement,
and plan with residents for next year’s construction. All this planning allows
us to remove and replace soil on 80-100 properties annually. For more
information on our soil replacement sequence you can go to our Yard
Program Updates page.
The Yard Program cleans up arsenic and
lead from the former Asarco smelter in Tacoma. It is a voluntary
program that’s offered at no cost to the homeowner. This work is part of Ecology’s efforts to
sample and replace contaminated soil in the Tacoma Smelter Plume. The
plume is a 1,000 square-mile-area of arsenic and lead contamination from the
former Asarco smelter in north Tacoma.
Follow our yard cleanup work:
Stacked sod awaiting placement. |
The contractor crew laying down sod. |
Questions about the Yard Program?
Please call the
project line at (360) 407-7688 and press 2 for Tacoma Smelter Plume, or email
the Yard Program Outreach Coordinator at Crescent.Calimpong@ecy.wa.gov.
Questions about the soil in your yard?
If you live in north
Tacoma, we may have sampling results for your yard. To check, visit our online database. If you do not find results for your yard, you
can sign up for free soil sampling by contacting the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department at
(253) 798-3503 or DirtAlert@tpchd.org.
By Crescent Calimpong, Yard Program Outreach Coordinator, Toxics Cleanup Program
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