This property has a documented history as a landfill going back to 1965. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could fund a cleanup.
The Former Ashford Landfill operated in Pierce County from 1965 through March 1978, accepting household wastes, car bodies, large appliances, and miscellaneous debris, with periodic on-site burning of wastes during active operations. Following closure, the site was covered with soil and densely replanted with evergreens that have grown to 20–30 feet in height, reflecting a long-term containment and revegetation effort. The site is now subject to Standard Cleanup review, prompted by a Closed Landfill Report from 2010, and no active remediation has commenced. That history could support an insurance cost recovery claim against carriers who issued insurance policies 40+ years ago.
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.
Landfill operations at this property ran from 1965 to 1978 — entirely within the period when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies carried no effective pollution exclusion. The waste acceptance practices here, including disposal of car bodies, large appliances, and burned refuse over 13 years, created the subsurface conditions now under regulatory scrutiny. Any remediation costs that arise from the pending cleanup review could plausibly be recovered from carriers who issued CGL policies during those active landfill years.
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.
What We Look For
- Historical insurance policies (pre-1986)
- Policy numbers, carrier names, and coverage periods
- Connection between contamination timing and policy period
- Evidence linking cleanup obligation to insured activity
What We Deliver
- Historical Coverage Chart
- Trigger Analysis & Property/Policy Nexus
- Coverage strategy with recommendations
- Insurance funding for your remediation
- Claims Management & Forensic Accounting
The Restorical Proven Process
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Contact UsThis analysis is preliminary and based on publicly available records. Restorical Research is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.
