Current Programs

Image from University of Washington news report Lower Duwamish Waterway health study to inform EPAs final cleanup plan for Superfund site

Current Environmental Risks

Today there are 42 chemicals whose present levels in the Duwamish River exceed Washington State's environmental and health standards (3).  According to the EPA these include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), arsenic, carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (cPAHs), dioxins/furans, phthalates, and other hazardous substances (4).  These chemicals have built up over time in the sediment of the river from industrial and urban pollution, resulting in some river mud becoming hazardous to people.  In addition to sediment pollution, the buildup of pollutants in resident fish and shellfish populations in the Duwamish River has made them unsafe for human consumption. 

This pollution has not just made organisms in the Duwamish River unfit for consumption, but it has had serious effects on the health of these populations.  Nor is this just recently coming to light as there have been numerous studies dating back more than 30 years depicting the effects of pollution on Duwamish River fauna.  One such study from 1980 describes the high prevalence (92%) of liver damage in Duwamish River flounder as compared to flounder found in other locations in the Puget Sound area (13%) (13).  This study also indicates fin erosion in flounder and English sole populations of the Duwamish.  Another study found levels of aromatic hydrocarbons (AH) in sediments near urban centers in the puget sound to be 150 times higher than in non-urban areas (10).  Higher concentrations of AHs have been linked to smaller birth weight in human populations (12).     

Current Cleanup Plan

The current cleanup plan proposed by the EPA will affect about 412 acres around the Duwamish River.  This includes removing almost 800,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment to be disposed of in a landfill, capping 24 acres of sediment, and monitoring further pollution.  This plan is estimated to take 7 years at a cost of about $305 million.  Besides the active cleanup process, the monitoring and regulation phase will limit the amount of new chemical pollution into the Duwamish River to allow for a "natural recovery".  The focus of this cleanup is on reducing the amount of harmful chemicals present in the water and resident organisms.  Information about the proposed plan and other documents can be found on the EPA's website for the Duwamish River Superfund site at  http://yosemite.epa.gov/r10/cleanup.nsf/sites/lduwamish

Photo from Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition.

Adverse Effects on the Duwamish Community

The environmental impacts have also been felt by the local community surrouding the Duwamish Watershed. Industrialized areas are usually associated with communities of lower socio-economic status and high environmental health burdens (6). While the reasons for lower health indicators are complex, the increased exposure to pollution may be a contributing factor. The average life expectancy of residents near the Duwamish River is about 8 years shorter than those in the surrounding King County (6). Since the Duwamish is in a highly urbanized area, any cleanup or restoration work should take into account the impacts on the local community.