Washington State’s new Pollution Prevention for Healthy People and Puget Sound Act (Chapter 70.365 RCW) is groundbreaking legislation and the nation’s strongest law regulating chemicals in products. 

Under the new law, Washington state agencies must identify products that are the biggest sources of exposure to high priority chemicals, and take action to reduce exposure. Agencies can ban or require disclosure of harmful chemicals in products.

The Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) is currently reviewing several high-priority chemicals – PFAS, flame retardants, phthalates, alkyphenol ethoxyalates, bisphenols and PCBs.

The Haz Waste Program testified in support of the law in 2019 and engaged with the Washington State Department of Ecology to hold a community meeting in 2020 regarding implementation. We will continue to engage with Ecology regarding its evaluation of priority chemicals and to select additional chemicals for review.  

Current status: Ongoing.

For more information, contact Tristen Gardner.
Email: Tristen.Gardner@kingcounty.gov
Phone: 206-263-0400