Bangor Ordnance Disposal sits on a 12-acre portion of Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor in Silverdale, Washington. The Navy used the site from 1944 through the early 1970s to store and process ordnance. A 6-acre Burn Area was used to detonate and incinerate materials, and waste ended up in two nearby Debris Areas. Those activities left contamination in soil, surface water, and shallow groundwater. About 3,900 people live within three miles of the base and rely on groundwater for drinking water.
Eleven contaminants of concern have been identified at the site. They include three explosive-related chemicals: TNT (2,4,6-trinitrotoluene), dinitrotoluene, and RDX (hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine). Lead and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) were also found. TNT and lead turned up in soil, surface water, and groundwater. RDX appeared in all three media as well. Human exposure is currently assessed as under control across the entire site, and groundwater migration is considered stabilized with no unacceptable discharge to surface water.
The site is split into two operable units. Operable Unit 1 (OU 01) covers soil at Site A. A Record of Decision issued in December 1991 selected soil washing along with UV oxidation, excavation, and monitoring. Remedial action ran from March 1993 to November 1997, and construction was fully complete by September 1999. Operable Unit 2 (OU 02) addresses groundwater at Site A. A combined remedial investigation and feasibility study ran from June 2023 to October 2025, and a Record of Decision Amendment was issued in October 2025. Remedial design for OU 02 is estimated for early 2026, with remedial action estimated for early 2027. Stormwater diversions put in place in 1983 were the first step in controlling chemical migration. The U.S. Navy leads the cleanup, with EPA Region 10 as the lead regulatory agency and the Washington State Department of Ecology also involved.
The most recent five-year review was completed in September 2025. Institutional controls are in place at all operable unit sites to limit exposure and restrict groundwater use where needed. Physical construction is complete for the entire site, but cleanup goals affecting current and future land use have not all been met, so the site has not yet achieved sitewide ready-for-anticipated-reuse status and remains on the National Priorities List.
Community members can get involved by submitting comments or concerns to the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Northwest Public Affairs Office at (360) 340-5592 or navfacnwpao@us.navy.mil. Site records, previous five-year reviews, and Records of Decision are posted on the NAVFAC Northwest website. Physical records can be viewed at the Engineering Field Activity Northwest office in Silverdale or at the Kitsap Regional Library Central Library in Bremerton.
