OLYMPIA—In an important victory for both human health and the effort to
clean up Puget Sound, Washington became the first state in the nation to
initiate a complete ban on a class of toxic flame retardants known as
polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). While several states have banned
penta and octa, Washington is the first state, joining the European Union,
in banning a third type of PBDE, deca.
“Washington state is leading the country in protecting the public from these
dangerous chemicals,” said Bill LaBorde, state director for WashPIRG.
“PBDEs are harmful to human health and they’re harmful to the health of
Puget Sound. These toxic chemicals are showing up in ever larger
concentrations in the diminishing populations of Puget Sound wildlife,
including orcas, harbor seals and salmon,” added LaBorde.
Final passage came after the state Senate passed House Bill 1024 by a
bi-partisan vote of 41-8. The bill was passed by the state House of
Representatives on February 16 by a margin of 71-24. The bill was requested
by the State Department of Ecology and Governor Gregoire has promised to
sign the bill into law.
PBDEs are used in televisions, laptops and other electronics and are
increasingly used in mattresses and other furniture. PBDEs, find their way
from airborne dust, infiltrating human systems and running off into Puget
Sound and other bodies of water. Even in small amounts, they can cause
serious damage to reproductive and immune systems. These chemicals are
building up in marine wildlife and turning up in humans in blood samples and
in tests on human breast milk.
House Bill 1024, sponsored by environmental champion Rep. Ross Hunter
(D-48th Bellevue), would prohibit the sale, manufacture or distribution of
products sold in Washington containing PBDE’s after January 1, 2008. In
addition to WashPIRG he bill was supported by a broad coalition that
included the State Fire Marshall, the Washington State Council of
Firefighters, the American Academy of Pediatricians, Washington State Nurses
Association, Washington Toxics Coalition, and People for Puget Sound.
Electronics manufactures such as Dell, Apple and HP have eliminated use of
PBDEs in their products, as have furniture manufacturers such as IKEA.
Following on Washington’s lead, Deca bans have been introduced in several
other states, including California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois,
Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana and New York. Maine has enacted
that will likely lead to a phase-out of Deca in the next couple years.
