The former owner and operator of an industrial site along the Duwamish Waterway in Tukwila has signed an agreement with the Washington Department of Ecology (WDOE) to test soil and groundwater for contamination, a step toward planning a future river cleanup.
The order covers the 21-acre Jorgensen Forge Corp. site at 78531 East Marginal Way S. It outlines a process to investigate contamination, study cleanup options, and develop a cleanup plan.
The manufacturer of large-scale specialty metal products partially investigated the site in the 1990s and 2000s. These studies identified contaminants – including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), petroleum compounds and metals – in soil and groundwater.
According to WDOE, Jorgensen Forge conducted partial cleanup work in 2014. In 2015, WDOE issued an enforcement order to the company directing it to take further steps in the cleanup process. The company declared bankruptcy in 2016.
The new agreed order – with the site’s former owner, Earle M. Jorgensen Co. – is expected to lead to a final cleanup, starting with a full investigation of contamination at the site.
The cleanup will contribute to a larger effort to control sources of contamination in Lower Duwamish Waterway sediments.