Washington Governor Jay Inslee last week signed two bills to combat perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs).
The first will phase out the use of the chemicals, which are commonly used to make packaging nonstick, in food contact paper. The bill directs the Washington Department of Ecology to find a safer alternative, banning PFCs from manufacturing, marketing, and distribution in the state starting in 2022. If no safer alternative is found, the department must continue looking for one each year. Washington is the first state to implement this type of ban.
The other bill applies to PFCs used in firefighting foam, a common problem in many states, especially at military sites.
For more information on Washington’s PFC activities, see here.
