Contaminated Wood Debris Near Washington Wells

Washington state officials have discovered that an 11-acre mound of contaminated wood debris is leaking arsenic into shallow groundwater, according to a report in the News Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.).

The site, knows as the B&L Woodwaste site, is located 800 feet from a Milton, Wash., city well, according to the report. A Fife, Wash., city well and several private wells are also nearby.

The arsenic has remained contained on the site, state officials tell the News Tribune.

The site was cleared because of arsenic contamination in 1993, according to the report. A private landowner had hauled wood debris there in the late 1970s and early 1980s from log yards in the Tacoma Tideflats.

The News Tribune reports that the landowner was unaware the material was toxic.

The new mound was formed as part of that cleanup effort. The 50-foot mound of contaminated wood debris was capped, but no liner was put on the bottom, according to the report.