State: More contamination testing needed at former Whirlpool plant in Fort Smith

FORT SMITH, Ark. — The Arkansas Department of Energy & Environment is calling for more testing around the old Whirlpool plant in Fort Smith.

The facility, located at 6400 Jenny Lind Road, shut down in 2012. The following year, the company admitted to leaking the toxic chemical trichloroethylene into the soil and groundwater surrounding the site.

In 2015, Whirlpool hired Ramboll Americas Engineering Solutions to monitor the contamination and begin clean-up, including injection wells to break down chemicals in the ground.

For years, Ramboll submitted semi-annual reports to the state, summarizing Whirlpool's maintenance and remediation efforts.

The 2024 report said there is no risk to the public, because the contamination is underground. Residents are restricted from using the groun