Soil: Tacoma Plume

ASARCO operated a smelter in Point Defiance Tacoma that pumped heavy metals like arsenic and lead up into our air. From 1888 to 1985 the toxic plume deposited toxins in the Puget Sound area soil and water.

​The Department of Ecology is still testing yards and and replacing yards in qualified areas. However, in order for your property to qualify for soil work it needs arsenic levels over 100 ppm or lead levels over 500ppm.

WA Dept of Ecology Dirt Alert Map

Yard Clean Up Project

Pretty Gritty Tours has put together an amazing video telling the ASARCO story with so many great old photographs. ​

The Washington Department of Ecology is working to clean up yards in the Puget Sound.