Earth Ministry/WAIPL was honored to join our partners at Toxic-Free Future at the bill signing of HB 1047, the Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act. WA now has the strongest law on the books in the country regulating toxic chemicals in personal care products. Starting in 2025, PFAS, lead, phthalates, formaldehyde, and other toxic chemicals will be banned in all cosmetics and personal care products sold in WA.
The 2023 Washington state legislative session ended April 23. Thanks in part to the faithful advocacy of the Earth Ministry/WAIPL community we have a lot to celebrate! Here’s how our priority bills and budget items ended up:
The Washington State Department of Ecology is banning toxic PFAS chemicals in more types of food packaging, thanks in part to input from the Earth Ministry/WAIPL community! The report bans PFAS in flat serviceware, open-top containers, closed containers, bags and sleeves, and bowls used for carry-out/take-out food starting in 2024.
HB 1694 is now law! It allows Washington to tackle toxic PFAS chemical in a broad range of products such as apparel, cosmetics, and firefighter gear by 2025 - the fastest PFAS timeline in the nation.
We have good news: the WA Department of Ecology has released a groundbreaking set of draft recommendations to ban five different classes of toxic chemicals (PFAS, flame retardants, phenolic compounds, phthalates, and PCBs) in multiple categories of commonly used consumer products!
Clean water is a matter of stewardship and justice. The Earth Ministry/WAIPL community has been raising this moral message within Washington State's process to set limits for toxic PFAS chemicals in drinking water. Now, the Department of Health is finalizing their PFAS drinking water standard, and your action is needed for the final rule to set a high bar. Photo credit: Erich Ferdinand
This spring, over 130 people of faith asked the Department of Ecology to speed up the phase out of PFAS in food packaging. They heard us and changed their timeline, thanks to you!
Check out these graphics for everything you need to know about PFAS in food packaging in WA and the Department of Ecology's current open comment period on the scope of their 2nd alternatives assessment on PFAS in food packaging. Don't forget to submit your comment at bit.ly/EMpfas2AA by June 30, 2021!
In 2018 Earth Ministry/WAIPL helped pass a bill to ban food packaging containing toxic PFAS chemicals. The Department of Ecology is now implementing that law by conducting a series of “alternatives assessments” before retailers are required to stop using food packaging with PFAS. Unfortunately, this process is slow going. Right now, Ecology is accepting comments on the scope of their second PFAS alternatives assessment. We are reminding the agency that their decisions and timeline have real implications for the health of human families and ecosystems.
Thank you to everyone who attended Earth Ministry’s Year-End Gathering! If you were not able to join us, here is a written version of Earth Ministry’s year-in-review presentation.
The following updates were published in Earth Ministry’s print and digital newsletter, Earth Letter.
Jessica Zimmerle spoke with Fast Company magazine for this piece about creation care as a Lenten fast practice. St. John United Lutheran Church, an Earth Ministry Greening Congregation, is also featured in the piece!
Great news! Five of Earth Ministry’s legislative priorities are still alive, including our top priority, a clean fuel standard! Here are the bills moving forward and a bit about each: 1. Clean Fuel Standard (HB 1110): Reduces the carbon intensity of transportation fuels by…
The Healthy Food Packaging Act passed in the Washington State Legislature today. As people of faith, we believe we have a moral obligation to protect our bodies, our communities, and our soil and water from toxic chemicals that make us…
As part of the Toxic-Free Legacy Coalition and the Environmental Priorities Coalition, Earth Ministry fully supports the passage of the Healthy Food Packaging Act. We believe that we have a moral obligation to protect our bodies, our food, and our environment…
Read More Health, Environmental, Faith, and Community Groups Tackle Nonstick PFAS Chemicals
