This property has a documented history as a landfill going back to 1970. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could fund a cleanup.
McNeil Island Landfill #2 operated from 1970 through 1989, accepting household and prison wastes over its nearly two-decade operational life before closing. The site has since been listed as contaminated, with suspected contaminants attributed to that historical waste disposal activity. No cleanup process is currently underway; the site remains in Awaiting Cleanup status under Washington State's Standard Cleanup program. 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.
This landfill accepted waste continuously from 1970 through 1989, spanning the years when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were the industry standard and had no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. Contamination from years of household and institutional waste disposal is the type of gradual, ongoing release that pre-1986 CGL policies were written to cover. With no remediation yet commenced and the full cost of cleanup still ahead, there is a plausible basis to pursue historical carriers whose policies were in force during the landfill's active operational 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.
