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.
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WashPIRG is a statewide nonprofit, nonpartisan
public interest organization dedicated to environmental protection, consumer
rights, and good
government.
www.washpirg.org
