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Emerald Kalama
 SITE DESCRIPTION
The Emerald Kalama property is a 155-acres parcel in the Kalama Industrial
Park, Washington. The property consists of mostly wetland areas between the I-5
and the Columbia River. An organic chemical manufacturing plant occupies 35
acres on the southern part of the property. The plant uses toluene as a raw
material to make chemicals used in food preservatives, flavors and fragrances,
plasticizers, and pharmaceuticals. Emerald Kalama operates the plant
continuously and produces about 233,000 tons of chemicals each year.
In 1962, Dow Chemical Company constructed the plant to manufacture phenol. In
1971, three former Dow employees purchased the plant and renamed it Kalama
Chemical. Kalama Chemical expanded production to specialty chemicals, which are
manufactured using intermediates from toluene oxidation. Kalama Chemical sold
the plant to Rogers Sugar, a Canadian-based company, in 1990. Ownership
subsequently passed to Freedom Chemical in 1994, BFGoodrich in 1998, Noveon in
2001, and Lubrizol in 2004. Emerald Performance Materials, a subsidiary of Sun
Capitals, bought the plant and property in 2006. They renamed the plant Emerald
Kalama.
Site investigations found releases of hazardous substances to the soil and
groundwater under the plant. Hazardous substances includes toluene, benzene,
diphenyl oxide, phenol, benzoic acid, arsenic, and copper. Releases in the west
area next to the Columbia River came from the former tar residue area, transfer
sump, and west tank farm. Releases in the central area were from the facility's
sewer system. Contamination in the groundwater flows north toward the wetland
and west toward the river.
SITE DOCUMENTS
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SITE INFORMATION
Facility Site ID:
# 1082
Location:
Kalama, Cowlitz County
Contact:
Ha Tran Site Manager
360/407-6064
Status:
Remedial Action In Progress
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