The Reynolds Metals Company site is a former aluminum smelter that operated from 1941 to 2000 on roughly 700 to 800 acres in Troutdale, Oregon. It was added to EPA's National Priorities List on December 16, 1994. Alcoa, the potentially responsible party, carried out cleanup under EPA as lead agency and with support from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The site is divided into two operable units: one covering source areas and one addressing final groundwater conditions.
Soil, groundwater, surface water, and sediment were all contaminated by smelting operations. Soil contaminants include heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, cadmium, mercury, and chromium, as well as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Groundwater contaminants include fluoride, arsenic, cyanide, manganese, tetrachloroethene, and 1,1-dichloroethene, among others. EPA has identified 48 contaminants of concern in total.
Soil cleanup was largely finished by 2005 through excavation, disposal of contaminated materials, and installation of caps over landfill areas. The plant itself was demolished between 2003 and 2005. A groundwater pumping and extraction system has been running since 2005 to address fluoride and other groundwater contamination. Semi-annual monitoring of groundwater wells continues. Current assessments confirm that human exposure is under control and contaminated groundwater movement is stabilized. An updated groundwater model is being evaluated to determine whether additional actions are needed. The most recent Five-Year Review was completed in July 2023, with the next one estimated between July and September 2028. Additional remedial investigation work for source areas is estimated to begin between September and November 2026.
The site has been redeveloped as the Troutdale Reynolds Industrial Park. The Port of Portland purchased the property and developed it for industrial use. A FedEx Ground distribution center employs about 1,100 people, and an Amazon fulfillment center provides up to 1,500 jobs. As of December 2024, four on-site businesses employed 5,226 people and generated approximately $1.83 billion in annual sales revenue. The site achieved ready-for-anticipated-reuse status on August 14, 2012.
Community members with questions can contact EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or the Remedial Project Manager. For state-related questions, contact Oregon DEQ. Site records are available at the EPA Region 10 Superfund Record Center in Seattle and at Portland State University Library in Portland.
