Questions about your property? Is it within the cleanup area? Has it already been cleaned up? Is it scheduled for cleanup or sampling this year? Click here to find out more about past, current and upcoming cleanup activities!

The Asarco smelter, which operated in Everett in the early 1900s, caused widespread arsenic and lead contamination in northeast Everett. In addition to contamination left behind on the old smelter property, particles from the stacks settled on the surrounding areas, contaminating soil.  

The Washington Department of Ecology managed the cleanup of the most highly contaminated properties from 1999 -2007.  In 2009, Ecology received funding through a bankruptcy settlement with Asarco to continue with cleanup efforts. Ecology has developed a cleanup plan for the rest of the contaminated properties impacted by the former smelter.  

The cleanup site is broken into 2 areas, the upland and lowland cleanup areas. The two areas are on two different cleanup schedules.  Click here for a map of the overall site.

Current Status

From November 2011 – Spring 2012, Ecology cleaned up 24 properties in the Upland Area. Ecology will begin cleaning up 55 additional properties this summer.  For more about the latest cleanup status,  click here.

Recent Site Documents

• FAQ:   Project History and Cleanup Process 
• Fact Sheet November 2011
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• Public Participation Plan (July 2011)
  This plan outlines how the Department of Ecology will keep the community informed and involved in the Everett Smelter Cleanup.
• 2011 Project Manual
• Part 1
• Part 2
• 2011 Fact Sheet: Ecology Continues Cleaning up the Everett Smelter Contamination (released March 2011)
• English
• Español
• Fact Sheet Summary
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• Русски
• Somali
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