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A RESOLUTION supporting collaborative efforts to improve the health and well-being of King County residents and the environment by reducing exposure and use of hazardous chemicals and replacing those used in homes and businesses with safer alternatives.
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WHEREAS, it is vital to protect and enhance public health by reducing the use of toxic chemicals and increasing the use of safer alternatives, and it is essential for this to be grounded in the principles of equity and social justice, and
WHEREAS, the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act was passed by the United States Congress in 2016, which amends and updates the Toxic Substances Control Act ("TSCA"), and
WHEREAS, under the updated TSCA, the Environmental Protection Agency ("the EPA") must assess the 85,000 chemicals allowed for use in the United States against a risk-based health standard and unreasonable risks identified in the risk evaluation must be eliminated, and
WHEREAS, international and national health agencies and programs, such as the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the EPA recognize that many of these chemicals used in commerce and available to the public can have severe health impacts on adults, children, and the environment, and
WHERAS, the state of Washington has been a leader in reducing exposure to harmful chemicals by phasing out chemicals such as lead, phthalates, highly fluorinated substances, also known as PFAS, and some toxic flame retardants from certain products and King County has supported these efforts, and
WHEREAS, in an effort to comply with environmental regulations, there are several examples of hazardous chemicals being replaced with "regrettable substitutes," and having severe effects on workers, children and others, including vulnerable populations and
WHEREAS, a "regrettable substitu...
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