Brian Barton
The Duwamish River in Seattle has been polluted by toxic chemicals from various sources, including stormwater runoff, wastewater, and industrial practices. The river's pollution has built up over more than a century, and it is now recognized as one of the most contaminated waterways in the country. The Lower Duwamish Waterway Group (LDWG), comprising the City of Seattle, King County, and the Boeing Company, is working with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement a cleanup plan. While multiple parties are responsible for the river's pollution, Boeing has been identified as a major contributor, with contaminants traced back to its plants along the river. The cleanup of the Duwamish River is expected to cost up to $1 billion, with Boeing and taxpayers sharing the financial burden.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Company Name | The Boeing Company |
| Alternate Names | Bluefield Holdings Inc. |
| Location | Seattle, Washington, USA |
| River Name | Duwamish River |
| River Details | Seattle's only river; also known as Spokane Street Bridge fishing site, Southwest Bridge fishing site, the river near South Park, or the river that is near or goes under West Seattle Bridge |
| Pollution Sources | Stormwater runoff, wastewater, industrial practices, water runoff tainted with chemicals, pollution from cargo terminals, sewage dumped from wastewater systems |
| Pollutants | Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), arsenic, carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (cPAHs), dioxins, furans, toxic metals, heavy metals (including lead and zinc) |
| Cleanup Responsibility | The EPA's policy is that polluters pay for cleanup; the Lower Duwamish Waterway Group (LDWG), comprising the City of Seattle, King County, and the Boeing Company, is responsible for implementing the EPA's cleanup plan |
| Cleanup Status | In progress; early cleanups have reduced PCB contamination in the river bottom by approximately half |
| Cleanup Cost | Estimated at $342 million; could cost Boeing and taxpayers $1 billion |
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What You'll Learn
The Lower Duwamish Waterway Group (LDWG)
The Duwamish River is Seattle's only river, and the LDW represents the last five miles of the river towards Elliott Bay. The river flows through the industrial core of Seattle and has served as the city's major industrial corridor since the early 1900s. This has resulted in the river's sediments becoming contaminated with toxic chemicals from sources such as stormwater runoff, wastewater, and industrial practices. The toxic chemicals that pose the most significant danger to human health include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), arsenic, carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (cPAHs), dioxins, and furans. These contaminants accumulate in the river's flatfish, crab, mussels, and clams, making their regular consumption potentially harmful.
The LDWG has been actively involved in the cleanup of the Duwamish River, with early cleanup efforts reducing PCB contamination in the river bottom by approximately half. The group has also completed multiple studies to better understand the contamination and identify effective cleanup methods. The LDWG's collaboration with the EPA is a multi-phased process, with the river divided into three segments—the upper, middle, and lower reaches—each with its own design and cleanup schedule. The EPA's policy is to have the polluters pay for the cleanup, but as pollution has entered the river from numerous sources over a century, determining liability can be challenging.
The LDWG's efforts are vital in addressing the environmental and health risks posed by the contaminated Duwamish River. The group's collaboration with the EPA aims to enhance the river's health, support the local economy, and provide a healthier habitat for fish and wildlife. The LDWG's website provides updates on the progress of the cleanup project, with construction season 2 resuming in October 2025.
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Boeing's role in pollution and cleanup
The Duwamish River in Seattle has been polluted by toxic chemicals from various sources for over a century. These include stormwater runoff, wastewater, and industrial practices. The toxic chemicals that pose the most threat to human health include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), arsenic, carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (cPAHs), dioxins, and furans.
In 2001, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) declared the last five miles of the Duwamish River towards Elliott Bay a Superfund Site, making it eligible for a federal cleanup program. The EPA and the Washington Department of Ecology are overseeing the cleanup of the site, with dozens of potentially responsible parties (PRPs) required to pay for it.
Boeing, with its nearly 100-year history on the banks of the Lower Duwamish Waterway, has been identified as one of the PRPs. In 2011, Boeing demolished its aging 1.7 million square foot facility to make way for cleanup and habitat restoration efforts. In 2013, Boeing began excavating sediment that contained PCBs and other chemicals from the waterway near Plant 2 using state-of-the-art cleanup technology. By March 2015, a total of 265,000 cubic yards of sediment and bank soil had been removed and replaced with clean sand, restoring the waterway. Boeing also constructed multiple stormwater treatment systems near the waterway to improve the quality of water that enters the Duwamish.
Boeing continues to play an active role in the cleanup and restoration of the Duwamish River as a member of the Lower Duwamish Waterway Group (LDWG), alongside the City of Seattle and King County. Boeing has been conducting cleanup investigations and working with its LDWG partners on studies to support the design of remedies for the remaining sediment contamination. In 2015, Boeing completed the early action area cleanup, transforming nearly one mile of former industrial waterfront into a new habitat area. Boeing is also helping to restore the Lower Duwamish Waterway into a wetland resource that improves Puget Sound salmon runs, with over 170,000 native plants now occupying five acres along the water's edge.
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EPA's multi-phase cleanup plan
The Lower Duwamish Waterway Group (LDWG) is a collaboration between the City of Seattle, King County, and the Boeing Company, who are working together with the EPA to study contamination levels, design and implement detailed cleanup plans, and educate and involve the community in the EPA-led process.
The EPA's multi-phase cleanup plan for the Duwamish River involves the following:
Phase 1: Early Action Cleanups
The LDWG conducted a Remedial Investigation (RI) to identify highly contaminated areas, known as Early Action Areas (EAAs). The EPA and Ecology oversaw the early cleanup work, which focused on removing PCB contamination from the river bottom. By the end of 2015, 50% of PCB contamination had been removed through these early actions.
Phase 2: Final Cleanup Plan
In 2014, the EPA published a final cleanup plan, also known as a Record of Decision (ROD), for addressing the remaining contamination. This plan includes active and passive cleanup measures and aims to reduce risks to human health and the environment from toxic chemicals in the river. The ROD details the cleanup of approximately 177 acres in the waterway, involving methods such as dredging, capping, and natural sedimentation.
Phase 3: Upper, Middle, and Lower Reaches Cleanup
The EPA has divided the Lower Duwamish Waterway into three segments for cleanup: the upper, middle, and lower reaches. Each section will have its own design and cleanup schedule. The upper reach, or the southernmost two miles, is currently undergoing construction activities for sediment cleanup. The middle reach is in the pre-design investigation phase, with cleanup construction expected to begin in late 2027. The lower reach will be addressed in the final phase.
Phase 4: Source Control and Monitoring
The EPA is leading the cleanup of river sediments, while the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) is responsible for controlling sources of pollution to the waterway. Ecology is working to prevent chemical pollution from entering the river from upland sources, while the EPA focuses on minimizing re-contamination and restoring water quality. LDWG members are also working with EPA and Ecology to keep new and ongoing sources of pollution out of the river.
The EPA's multi-phase cleanup plan aims to address the complex contamination issues in the Duwamish River, reduce health and environmental risks, and restore the ecological and cultural significance of the waterway for the residents of Seattle.
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Toxic chemicals and health risks
The Duwamish River in Seattle has been contaminated with toxic chemicals for over a century. Industrial activity, storm runoff, wastewater, and other sources have polluted the river, causing health risks for people and the environment. The Lower Duwamish Waterway (LDW) is a five-mile segment of the river that flows through the city's industrial core. It was designated a Superfund Site by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2001, recognising it as one of the country's most toxic hazardous waste sites.
The toxic chemicals in the Duwamish River that pose the most significant health risks to humans include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), arsenic, carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (cPAHs), and dioxins and furans. These contaminants accumulate in the river's sediments, fish, and shellfish. PCBs, for instance, have been found in high concentrations in the riverbanks and sediments near the Jorgensen Forge (EMJ) steel and aluminum facility.
Consumption of fish and shellfish from the river, particularly those that spend their entire lives in the river ("resident seafood"), can lead to serious health issues. These include flatfish such as perch, sole, and flounder, as well as crab, mussels, and clams. The Washington State Department of Health has issued advisories against consuming crab, shellfish, and fish (except salmon) from the Lower Duwamish Waterway. Regularly eating resident seafood from the river increases the likelihood of future health complications.
In addition to the risks associated with consuming contaminated seafood, direct contact with the contaminated mud and sediments in the river also poses a health hazard. The EPA and the Washington Department of Ecology are overseeing the cleanup of the LDW, with the goal of reducing risks to human health and the environment. The cleanup plan includes various measures such as dredging, capping, and natural sedimentation, with an estimated cost of $342 million.
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Restoration of wildlife habitat
The Duwamish River, Seattle's only river, has been severely polluted by toxic chemicals from various sources, including stormwater runoff, wastewater, and industrial practices. The river's pollution has built up over a century, and it is now one of the most polluted rivers in the country. The Lower Duwamish Waterway, in particular, is a Superfund Site, signifying its eligibility for a federal cleanup program due to the severity of its contamination.
Several organizations have stepped up to restore the Duwamish River's wildlife habitat and reduce the health risks posed by the pollution. The Lower Duwamish Waterway Group (LDWG), comprising the City of Seattle, King County, and the Boeing Company, has been working with the EPA to implement cleanup plans. Boeing, in particular, has constructed one of the largest restoration projects on the Lower Duwamish River, restoring almost five acres of mudflat, marsh, and riparian vegetation to provide habitat for fish and wildlife.
King County has also been actively involved in restoring the Lower Duwamish habitat. They have worked on various projects, including the Hamm Creek Habitat Restoration Project, where they created a new riparian stream bed and channel for Hamm Creek, and the Elliott Bay/Duwamish Restoration Program, where they designed and monitored an estuarine marsh with a fish-passable connection to the Duwamish Waterway.
Additionally, settlements have been reached with various companies, such as Vigor Industrial, LLC, Exxon Mobil Corp., and General Recycling, to fund and construct habitat restoration projects. These projects aim to restore estuary habitats, including marshes, channels, and tidal areas, and provide refuge areas and food sources for wildlife and fish species, such as juvenile salmon.
Through these collaborative efforts, the Duwamish River's wildlife habitat is being restored, creating a healthier environment for both people and wildlife.
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Frequently asked questions
The Duwamish River has been polluted by many companies over the years, including Boeing, Bluefield Holdings Inc., and the Port of Seattle.
Boeing's first factory was located next to the Duwamish River. The company described the river as "a natural collector for Boeing's fluid wastes" in a 1950 magazine article. Boeing also acknowledged that "any unrestrained liquid emptied on the Boeing premises is bound to end up in the river".
The Lower Duwamish Waterway Group (LDWG), which includes the City of Seattle, King County, and the Boeing Company, is working with the EPA to implement a cleanup plan for the river. The EPA's policy is to have the polluters pay for the cleanup, so Boeing is expected to contribute to the cost of restoring the river.
