On March 31, 2022, Governor Jay Inslee signed HB 1694 into law, speeding up the timeline for the phase out of PFAS chemicals under Washington’s Safer Products law (another bill that the faith community helped pass in 2019!) The Washington Department of Ecology is currently moving to restrict PFAS in carpets, rugs, and other home furnishings. But it has not yet taken on all of the products identified in its PFAS chemical action plan. HB 1694 will accelerate the Safer Products for WA program to ensure that Ecology will act on many more products and firefighter gear by 2025.
PFAS are known as “forever chemicals” that don’t easily break down in the environment. They can hang around for years, continuing to contaminate soil, water, and our bodies. That’s why it is essential that Washington state works quickly to get these toxic chemicals out of products like rain coats, apparel, waxes, sealants, cosmetics, and firefighter gear. It is beyond time to strengthen our regulation of these toxic chemicals, and you helped make that happen.
The Earth Ministry/WAIPL community has been faithfully advocating for keeping our communities and the environment safe from toxic chemicals for years. We are grateful for everyone who contacted their legislators to let them know how important this bill is. Thanks to advocates like you, we will have safer products in our homes and less PFAS polluting our environment.
Earth Ministry/WAIPL will continue our advocacy in the Safer Products for WA process, you’ll be seeing action alerts from us sooner thanks to HB 1694!
“This new law keeps Washington state leading the nation with actions to stop the flow of toxic PFAS into products that leave a trail of pollution from start to finish,” said Laurie Valeriano, executive director, Toxic-Free Future. “There is broad bipartisan agreement that these chemicals should be phased out and replaced with safer alternatives. Prevention is the key to keeping these dangerous chemicals from contaminating homes, drinking water, and breast milk. We thank Representatives Berry and Fitzgibbon and Senators Das and Lovelett for their leadership and thank the Governor for signing this important measure into law.”
Toxic-Free Future, March 31, 2022. Washington Governor signs bill aimed at phasing out PFAS “forever chemicals” by 2025 — the fastest PFAS timeline in the nation
Thank you for your faithful advocacy and for working with Earth Ministry/WAIPL towards a future where toxic chemicals do not poison vulnerable populations and pollute our one and only planet!