Teledyne Wah Chang is a 225-acre former metals production facility near Albany, Oregon that has been on the Superfund National Priorities List since 1983. The site is divided into four operable units covering sludge ponds, groundwater and sediments, soils and radioactive materials, and a soil amendment area. The plant itself remains operational and currently supports over 1,100 jobs on site.
More than 60 hazardous substances have been identified across the site. Sludge, soil, groundwater, and sediment all contain contamination. Metals such as arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, lead, and uranium appear in sludge and groundwater. Chlorinated solvents including trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, and several related compounds are present in groundwater. Radioactive materials, including radium-226, thorium-232, thorium-230, and radon, affect sludge and soil. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are found in soil and sediment. People could face health risks by ingesting or touching these contaminants. Radium-contaminated soil may release radon gas, posing an inhalation risk. Contaminated groundwater discharging into nearby creeks could harm aquatic ecosystems. EPA assessments show that human exposure pathways are currently under control, though groundwater migration is not yet stabilized.
The potentially responsible party has led major cleanup actions. Sludge pond excavation and off-site disposal were completed by 1992. Radium-contaminated soil excavation finished in 1999. A groundwater extraction and treatment system using air stripping, carbon adsorption, and bioremediation began operating in 2000 and was enhanced with microbial remediation technologies in 2009. Additional remedial work on groundwater and sediments began in August 2022 and is estimated to finish in March 2025. A record of decision amendment for the groundwater and sediments unit is expected between September and November 2027.
EPA completed its most recent five-year review in December 2022. The next five-year review is estimated for late 2027 through early 2028. The site has not yet been deleted from the National Priorities List. Groundwater monitoring must continue for five years after cleanup levels are achieved before the site can be considered fully remediated.
Community members can review site documents at the Albany Public Library at 2450 Fourteenth Avenue SE in Albany, Oregon, or at the EPA Region 10 Superfund Record Center in Seattle. For questions, contact the EPA Remedial Project Manager or the Community Involvement Coordinator. For state-related questions, contact the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.
