The FMC Corp. site is a 4-acre former pesticide formulation facility in Yakima, Washington. The facility operated from 1951 to 1986, and from 1952 to 1969 FMC disposed of agricultural pesticides in an on-site pit. That practice contaminated soil and groundwater. EPA placed the site on the National Priorities List (NPL) in September 1983. The NPL is the federal list of the most serious hazardous waste sites in the country.
EPA identified 19 chemical contaminants across soil, groundwater, and structures at the site. These include pesticides such as aldrin, dieldrin, DDT and its breakdown products DDD and DDE, malathion, parathion, and ethion. Other contaminants include endosulfan compounds, the herbicide 2-methyl-4,6-dinitrophenol, and metals such as cadmium, chromium(VI), and zinc. EPA determined these substances pose unacceptable risks to human health and the environment based on their types, amounts, and potential exposure pathways.
Cleanup included removing about 850 tons of contaminated soil between 1988 and 1989 and excavating and incinerating contaminated soils on-site between 1992 and 1993. Physical construction of the remedy was completed in September 1993. In 2011, EPA issued a Record of Decision Amendment that added institutional controls restricting groundwater use for drinking water and requiring EPA and Washington State Department of Ecology approval before any excavation deep enough to reach contaminated soils. Zoning restrictions also prevent residential uses on the property.
Human exposure across the entire site is currently under control, with no unacceptable exposure pathways identified. Contaminated groundwater migration is stabilized, and EPA continues seasonal groundwater monitoring to confirm contamination stays in its original area. The site achieved sitewide readiness for anticipated reuse in October 2012. The property now hosts commercial and light industrial businesses, including Western Materials, Country Farm and Garden True Value Hardware, and W.R. Shields Holding, LLC. As of December 2024, two on-site businesses employed 13 people and generated roughly $3.1 million in annual sales. The site has not yet been deleted from the NPL.
EPA conducts five-year reviews to make sure cleanup continues to protect people and the environment. The most recent review was completed in September 2023, and the next is estimated between September and November 2028. Community members with questions or concerns can contact EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or the Remedial Project Manager. Site records are available at the Yakima Central Library at 102 North 3rd Street or through the EPA Region 10 Superfund Record Center at 206-553-4494 or R10_SF_Records_Center@epa.gov.
