• Policy Category: Drinking Water
• State: Washington
• Date Implemented: 7/28/2019

Effective 7/28/2019

In 2018 SB 5135 was passed (Pollution Prevention for Healthy People and Puget Sound Act), regulating classes of high priority toxic chemicals in products. The Department of Ecology, in consultation with the Department of Health, will designate at least five priority chemicals and report their designations to committees of the legislature. Criteria for priority chemicals include, among others, chemicals that are a high concern for children, chemicals that are persistent/bioaccumulate, are present in consumer products, or degrades into more hazardous traits. “Every five years, and consistent with the timeline established…the department, in consultation with the department of health, must determine regulatory actions to increase transparency and to reduce the use of priority chemicals in priority consumer products.”  

Priority chemicals identified in the law include: 

• Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)  
• Phthalates 
• Organohalogen flame retardants and flame retardants identified in RCW 70.240.010  
• Phenolic compounds 
• Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) 

Implementation of the law is through a program called Safer Products for Washington.  

• Action Agency(ies): Department of EcologyDepartment of Health
• Read the full policy language