This property has a documented history as a landfill going back to 1940. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could fund a cleanup.

Why Historical Insurance Policies May Be Accessible

Pre-1986 Commercial General Liability (CGL) policies were occurrence-based and did not contain an effective pollution exclusion in Washington. If contamination occurred while those policies were active, those historical insurance carriers may still have a legal obligation to fund the cleanup costs, even if the business closed or the property changed hands.

A landfill that accepted municipal solid waste alongside coal ash, industrial waste, and sludge across a four-decade operating window presents a layered contamination profile tied directly to pre-1986 operations. The site's engineering shortfall — a soil cap with no underlying liner or leachate collection system — means the contamination pathways remain only partially addressed, and future remediation costs are anticipated. Historical carriers whose policies covered the landfill's operators during the 1940s–1980 period may be obligated to fund the cleanup work that a cap alone cannot complete.

Restorical's role is to locate viable historical policies, determine whether a successful coverage claim is possible, and assist our clients and their legal counsel to obtain insurance coverage. Restorical then manages the claim, including accounting, to ensure the cleanup is funded in a timely manner.