Asarco Ruston Plant Site, Washington

The ASARCO copper smelter at Ruston, a small coastal town next to Tacoma, closed in 1985, after 80 years of operation. The closure, which included the felling of a landmark 562-foot tall smokestack, was spurred by concerns about toxic emissions of sulfur dioxide, arsenic, and lead. As part of the environmental cleanup, the company is redeveloping the shorefront with parkland and marinas, and has agreed to replace the dirt in nearly every residential lawn in town. In 2005, ASARCO filed for bankruptcy. In 2009, a settlement was reached which resulted in the EPA (among other state and federal agencies) receiving $1.79 billion to fund environmental reclamation and restoration at more than 80 sites around the country, making it (as of 2009) the largest environmental bankruptcy in U.S. history.