United Heckathorn Co.

Overview

The United Heckathorn Co. site sits on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay in Richmond, California. From the mid-1940s to the mid-1960s, companies used the property to process, package, and ship pesticides, including DDT and dieldrin. Poor handling practices left contamination in upland soils and in marine sediments in nearby Lauritzen Channel and Parr Canal. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List in 1990 and selected a cleanup plan in October 1994. The site is divided into three operable units to manage cleanup in stages.

The two main contaminants are dieldrin and p,p'-DDT. Both are found in soil, sediment, and surface water in the upland area. In the marine area, these pesticides have built up in fish and shellfish tissue at levels above advisory thresholds. California has issued a fish consumption advisory for Lauritzen Channel that remains in effect, recommending that people not eat fish or shellfish caught there.

Work in the upland area is further along. A 5-acre concrete cap was built between 1998 and 1999 to prevent erosion and limit contact with contaminated soil. A drainage system collects runoff, and a treatment system installed in 2014 removes contaminants before water is discharged. An environmental restriction covenant limits the property to non-residential use. The upland remedy is considered protective of human health and the environment. The marine remedy has not reached the same point. About 107,000 cubic yards of sediment were dredged from the channels between 1996 and 1997, but sediment, water, and tissue samples have regularly exceeded cleanup goals since 1999. EPA is now evaluating new remedial options and is in mediation with potentially responsible parties. A proposed plan and updated record of decision for the marine area are estimated between late 2026 and early 2028.

Human exposure is not under control at this site. Unsafe contamination levels have been detected and people could reasonably be exposed, particularly through fish consumption. Construction of the full cleanup is not yet complete, and the site is not ready for unrestricted use. The most recent five-year review was completed in September 2021, and the next is expected in fall 2026. The upland area is currently used as a marine shipping terminal by Levin-Richmond Terminal Corporation for cargo stockpiling and railroad operations.

Community members can stay involved in several ways. EPA will complete its Sixth Five-Year Review report by September 30, 2026, and post it online and at the EPA Superfund Records Center in San Francisco. A community discussion series covering site history, risk, and cleanup options concluded in February 2026. Questions can be directed to the Community Involvement Coordinator, Hiruni Jayasekera, or the Remedial Project Manager, Karen Jurist.