Protect, Preserve, Enhance: Inside Washington's Department of Ecology

The worst of the worst: Removing toxic chemicals from commerce

May 06, 2020 Erich Ebel - Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction
Protect, Preserve, Enhance: Inside Washington's Department of Ecology
The worst of the worst: Removing toxic chemicals from commerce
Show Notes Transcript

In 2019, the Washington Legislature set aside $3.7 million for Ecology to remove the worst of the worst chemicals from commerce and help replace them with safer alternatives.

Erich Ebel with Ecology's Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction Program tells us which compounds we're tackling first, how we're getting them out of circulation, and what we may target next.

Learn more about this effort in our blog, found at https://ecology.wa.gov/Blog/Posts/May-2020/Product-Replacement-Program-helps-businesses-tackl, and at ecology.wa.gov/PollutionPreventionAssistance.

speaker 0:   0:00
In 2019, the Washington Legislature set aside $3.7 million for Ecology to remove the worst of the worst chemicals from commerce. Our product replacement program has so far tackled two compounds PFAS and perchloroethylene, also known as PERC. PERC is a dry cleaning solvent that was industry standard since the 1920s. It's a carcinogen and can contaminate soil and groundwater near businesses that use it. Machines that don't use PERC can be prohibitively expensive for many dry cleaners, which is why we're offering reimbursement for the installation of newer, cleaner machines. Local government partners helped spread the word, and over 50 dry cleaners have signed up for the program. More than half of these have already made the switch. This investment saves millions in clean up costs, reduces health impacts and benefits both small business owners and our environment. Our second focus was Per and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, more easily said as PFAS. These are a class of chemicals found in many non-stick pans, water and stain repellents, and some firefighting foams. Many PFAS are toxic and don't break down in the environment. When PFAS-containing firefighting foam is used, it can soak into the ground and contaminate drinking water. This has happened in at least four locations in Washington, as well as hundreds more nationwide. Washington banned most sales of PFAS-containing firefighting foam in 2018, but many fire stations still have older stockpiles. We're working with more than 60 stations across the state to collect and safely dispose of about 30,000 gallons of PFAS-containing firefighting foam. Now we're determining which toxic chemical we should help replace next. Some candidates are fire retardants in daycare nap mats, toddler play pads or gymnasium foam, PCBs in caulk and other construction materials, as well as in school light ballasts, and mercury in older thermostats. The product replacement program has been doing some great work to reduce toxic chemicals in Washington's environment, but we need your help. If you own or operate a business that produces or stores any of these products or chemicals, please reach out to us at productreplacement@ecy.wa.gov. Due to COVID-19 physical distancing restrictions, we're building a wait list of interested businesses. Get in the queue to learn how we might assist you in helping protect our environment. Learn more at ecology.wa.gov/pollutionpreventionassistance.