Comment Today!
You may recall that in 2018, Earth Ministry/WAIPL helped pass a bill to ban food packaging containing toxic PFAS chemicals. Faithful advocates like you spoke out for the health of our communities and the environment in advocating for strong protections from PFAS – thank you!
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 and Ecology just finished their first PFAS food packaging alternatives assessment. The result will ban PFAS in wraps and liners, plates, food bowls, and pizza boxes in 2023 – but there are six other product categories that will not yet be regulated.
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.
Submit your comment here to tell the Department of Ecology that getting toxic PFAS chemicals out of our food packaging is important to faith communities and in alignment with our value of environmental justice.
Time is of the essence. A recent study by our partners at Toxic Free Future showed PFAS in the breast milk of all women tested. Not only does PFAS pose health risks for consumers, it is also a serious environmental justice concern for the communities in which these chemicals are manufactured. Safe and suitable alternatives for PFAS in food packaging are available and are currently required in Seattle and voluntarily used by many retailers elsewhere. Now is the time to strengthen this ban statewide.
Thank you for joining Earth Ministry in this faithful advocacy for safer food packaging across Washington!