PEOPLE FOR PUGET SOUND’S ‘ACTION AGENDA’
FEBRUARY 2008

Eliminating Toxics Pollution of the Puget Sound Ecosystem

The 2006 Partnership report to the Governor and the legislature noted that toxic chemicals pose health risks and impair the fragile food web of Puget Sound’s ecosystem. For 150 years, a wide variety of toxic chemicals have entered Puget Sound that are poisonous to humans, wildlife, and aquatic life. These chemicals tend to remain in the Sound a long time and build up in shellfish, fish, marine mammals and humans. Despite bans on some of the worst and some cleanups, thousands of acres of Puget Sound sediments are toxic and still delivering chemicals to the food web. Toxic substances are still being introduced – some as permitted discharges to fresh and marine waters and some from stormwater and air pollution. The Partnership went on the say that without serious measures to address toxic contamination of the Puget Sound ecosystem now, contaminant loading is likely to increase dramatically in the years ahead, with consequences decades into the future.

By taking strong action in the Action Agenda and setting measurable benchmarks and targets for reduction, the Partnership today can put Puget Sound on the path to health by 2020.

By 2020, toxic contamination in Puget Sound as well as the sources of the contamination, including toxic sites, industrial discharges, toxic consumer products, must be eliminated by doing the following:

•    Stopping pollution at the sources.  We must reverse the trend of addressing pollution by treatment at the end-of-the-pipe and address at the top by:

             o    Eliminating all sources of persistent bioaccumulative toxics on Ecology’s PBT list in accordance with the state’s PBT Strategy
             o    Eliminating toxic chemicals in stormwater sources, including vehicular pollutants
             o    Eliminating unnecessary toxic chemicals in products in homes and businesses.  Requiring companies to choose the safest chemicals for their consumer products to protect humans and wildlife.
             o    Conducting much more rigorous pre-treatment at industrial sources
             o    Strengthening management of pharmaceuticals and other emerging chemicals

•    Eliminating sources of air pollutants that accumulate in sediments and ecosystems.

•    Completing 100% of the cleanups of toxics sites in Puget Sound

•    Reducing toxic wastewater discharges by 75% by banning mixing zones for persistent bioaccumulative toxics (PBTs) and adopting water quality standards and requiring All Known And Reasonable Technology (AKART) to remove toxic chemicals from discharges.

•    Creating incentives and providing technical assistance for industry to develop less-toxic products and to reduce and phase out the use of dangerous chemicals.

To meet the 2020 goal of a toxic-free Puget Sound, we must meet the following interim goals:

By 2010:               
•    Ban mixing zones for PBTs

•    Reform existing laws and regulations to require companies to use the safest chemicals when producing consumer products.    

•    Complete 50% of all cleanups    

•    Reduce toxics in wastewater and stormwater discharges by 50%.

•    Complete at least seven chemical action plans under Ecology’s PBT program.

•    Establish an institute promoting product stewardship and green chemistry.

By 2015:
•    Complete 60% of all cleanups AND Reduce toxics in wastewater and stormwater discharges by 65%.