Cleaning up: Over half of Everett Smelter Site residential yard cleanups done!

We’re making progress cleaning up contamination left behind by the Asarco smelter in northeast Everett.

The smelter operated more than 100 years ago, but contamination discovered in 1990 may affect 170 acres with 720 properties. We’ve been working for several years with residential property owners to sample and clean up their yards as needed.

Cleanup is complete or not needed for 378 of those homes. We have now finished sampling soil for lead and arsenic on all the properties that requested it.  If you still wish to have your property sampled, call our hotline at 425-446-1024.

Construction for the 2017 cleanup group is under way!

Our contractor is getting ready to replace contaminated soil with clean soil in 11 more yards, most on the block between Pine, Maple, Ninth and Tenth streets.

You may notice crews surveying and conducting site assessments on many of the cleanup group properties. In addition, next week, the contractor will begin putting up fences, mobilizing equipment and begin preparation for digging work on the properties in yellow below.

To help keep safe, please remember to:

• Look out for heavy truck traffic in the area.
• Keep pets safe by keeping them on a leash near active cleanup areas.
• Pay attention to “no parking signs” and avoid being towed. Move your car before 7 a.m. You can return it after 5 p.m.

Lowlands cleanup postponed

Debris from the smelter facility lies under East Marine View Drive, just south of North Broadway. We’re coordinating with the city of Everett for a cleanup project in the intersection where the North Broadway northbound off-ramp and Riverside Road intersect with East Marine View Drive.

This project is part of the state’s capital budget, for which adoption is pending. We’ll work with the city to schedule and announce the work when funding is available.

We’re also planning a new groundwater study to aid in planning further cleanup work in the Lowlands.

Thank you, Everett!

We know cleanup, like other construction, can disrupt a community’s routine. We greatly appreciate the cooperation and patience of northeast Everett residents, drivers, and businesses as we pursue cleanup of the smelter site.

As always, our website provides updates on our cleanup work, plus a wealth of information about the history of the site and the former smelter.

Sandra Matthews, Project Manager