Western Processing, Inc., Kent, Washington, which operated as an industrial waste recycling facility, was suspected of having contaminated soil, groundwater and surface water on and around its 13-acre site. After intensive sampling and analysis, significant levels of many toxic substances were identified in a high proportion of the soil and groundwater samples; these included 21 known carcinogens and 28 suspected carcinogens. At least 19 of the soil samples and six of the groundwater samples were defined as hazardous waste by standards of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) by reason of their content of soluble toxic metal.