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[Portal ID #1962]

Department of Ecology
Committees, Boards, and Workgroups

Safer Products for Washington

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The Departments of Ecology and Health will use this site to share information and draft documents as we implement Chapter 70A.350 Revised Code of Washington (formerly Chapter 70.365 RCW). Our implementation program for the law is called Safer Products for Washington.

Subscribe to the SaferProductsWA email list to receive updates and invitations for public comment. Contact us at SaferProductsWA@ecy.wa.gov.

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Cycle 2 phase 1 identifying priority chemicals

We’re beginning a new cycle of Safer Products for Washington implementation, during which we identify priority chemicals and chemical classes. The Draft Identification of Priority Chemicals Report to the Legislature was available for public comment from June 7 to July 14, 2023. You can:

We will read and consider each comment made during the comment period. We’ll also update the Priority Chemicals Report to the Legislature and publish the final version by June 2024.

We are working on Safer Products for Washington cycle 2 phase 2.

The Safer Products for Washington team had originally planned to host two preliminary cycle 2 phase 2 webinars in March 2024, to share an overview of our cycle 2 work and our approach to identifying priority consumer products. Instead of the March 2024 webinars, we'll now host webinars in early summer, when we’ll be able to share more information about draft priority products.

We’re running a Washington safer products survey to gather input on the consumer products that are most important to Washington communities. Feedback will help us select chemicals and products to evaluate in the future.

The survey is available in nine languages, takes about six minutes to complete, and will be open through April 12. Please feel free to share the survey link broadly. We appreciate you taking the time to offer input!

In 2022, the Washington State Legislature amended the Safer Products for Washington law to add an additional cycle of work focusing on PFAS in consumer products. This new cycle falls between cycle 1 and cycle 2, so we're calling it cycle 1.5. In cycle 1.5, we’ll focus on making regulatory determinations on products identified in our 2021 PFAS Chemical Action Plan (CAP).

We’re looking at regulatory determinations for these product categories:

  • Apparel and gear, including athleticwear, rainwear, and undergarments
  • Firefighting personal protective equipment (PPE)
  • Cleaning products, including products to wash automobiles and boats
  • Waxes, including floor waxes and polishes, automobile waxes, and ski waxes
  • Cookware and kitchen supplies, including frying pans, rice cookers, and bakeware
  • Hard surface sealants, including sealants applied to hard porous surfaces like stone and wood

Comment period

We published our Cycle 1.5 Draft Regulatory Determinations Report and hosted a comment period from December 6, 2023, to January 22, 2024.

View comments made during the comment period.

August and December 2023 webinars

Thank you to everyone who attended our cycle 1.5 webinars in 2023. If you weren’t able to join us, please see the resources below or reach out to the Safer Products for Washington team with questions.

August 2023 webinar

December 2023 webinars

We started a rulemaking to revise the Safer Products Restrictions and Reporting rule—Chapter 173-337 WAC, aiming to reduce PFAS in consumer products. We plan to conduct this rulemaking to:

  • Reduce the use of priority chemicals in priority consumer products.
  • Revise Chapter 173-337 WAC in accordance with the regulatory actions outlined in the Regulatory Determinations Report to the Legislature that we will submit by June 1, 2024.

In this rulemaking, we could create reporting requirements or restrictions that apply to the use of PFAS in the product categories listed in the cycle 1.5 draft regulatory determinations report.

On May 31, 2023, we adopted a new rule, Chapter 173-337 WAC—Safer Products Restrictions and Reporting. This new chapter establishes a regulatory program to reduce toxic chemicals in consumer products and increase product ingredient transparency, as directed by Washington law. Consumers use hundreds of items every day. Many of these products contain chemicals that are hazardous to human health and the environment. Ecology adopted a new rule to regulate hazardous chemicals in consumer products.

The adopted rule:

  • Implements the regulatory actions reported to the Washington State Legislature in June 2022.
  • Creates reporting requirements and restrictions that apply to priority consumer products that contain priority chemicals. These include:
    • PFAS in aftermarket stain- and water-resistance treatments, carpets and rugs, and leather and textile furnishings.
    • Ortho-phthalates in vinyl flooring and in personal care product fragrances.
    • Organohalogen flame retardants in electric and electronic products.
    • Flame retardants (as defined in RCW 70A.350.010) in recreational polyurethane foam.
    • Phenolic compounds in laundry detergent, food and drink can linings, and thermal paper.
  • Addresses existing stock, repair and replacement parts, refurbished products, and previously owned products.

The adopted rule became effective on July 1, 2023. Some manufacturers, distributors, and retailers must comply with restrictions on some consumer products starting on January 1, 2025. Reporting parties must submit the first notification by January 31, 2025. The Safer Products for Washington Cycle 1: Adopted Rule Highlights document provides an overview of the restrictions and reporting requirements for fourteen chemical-product combinations. 

Sharing the Final Regulatory Determinations Report

With our partners at the Department of Health, we published the final Report to the Legislature on Regulatory Determinations, for the first Safer Products for Washington cycle.

We made a number of changes to integrate feedback from our stakeholders and communities. Read how we incorporated feedback in our comment overview. If interested, you can view comments from other stakeholders on the draft report. To hear a summary of the results from our public comment survey, watch our video covering the highlights (also available in Spanish). For more details, check out our infographic (also available in Spanish) and blog post covering the results. You can also review the complete, unedited responses to the survey.

Blue banner with white text reading "Orders for information from manufacturers"

Part of our work to determine regulatory actions involves gathering information from manufacturers about their products. We collect this information using administrative orders. While we use an “order," we want to emphasize that these orders are not associated with any manufacturer being out of compliance.

The information manufacturers must provide through these orders will help us assess the current presence of priority chemicals or chemical classes in priority products. If you manufacture a priority product included in our 2022 PFAS Chemical Action Plan, we might contact you to provide information about your use of priority chemicals. Manufacturers have six months to collect and submit the information to us and can apply for confidential treatment of the information they submit. Please reach out to us at SaferProductsWA@ecy.wa.gov if you have questions about the process for these orders.

Blue banner with white text reading "Stakeholder advisory process"

The law requires us to develop a stakeholder advisory process by June 1, 2020. We engage interested parties at every major stage in our implementation process. We aim for transparency and to involve our stakeholders in decisions affecting their lives and businesses. To learn more about our progress to date, read our stakeholder engagement process (updated November 2021).

Blue banner with white text reading "Safer Products for WA background"

Chapter 70A.350 RCW (formerly Chapter 70.365 RCW) creates a process for Ecology, in consultation with Health, to regulate classes of chemicals in consumer products. The law requires us to designate priority chemicals, identify products that contain these chemicals, determine regulatory actions, and adopt rules to implement regulatory actions. Chemical restrictions require that safer alternatives are feasible and available. The law outlines steps that involve stakeholder consultation, legislative reporting, and rulemaking.

The first set of priority chemical classes were identified in the law. They are:

  • Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) 
  • Phthalates
  • Organohalogen flame retardants and flame retardants identified in RCW 70A.430 
  • Phenolic compounds
  • Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

The first set of priority products we identified in our 2020 priority products report are below. You can also view the comments we received on the priority products report

  • Flame retardants
    • Electric and electronic equipment
    • Recreational polyurethane foam
  • PCBs
    • Paints and printing inks
  • PFAS
    • Carpet and rugs
    • Aftermarket stain and water resistance treatments
    • Leather and textile furnishings
  • Phenolic compounds 
    • Laundry detergent (alkylphenol ethoxylates)
    • Thermal paper (bisphenols)
    • Food and drink cans (bisphenols)
  • Phthalates
    • Vinyl flooring
    • Personal care products

The first five deadlines in the law are:

Due date  Task 
June 2020     Priority products – Report to the Legislature
June 2020 Create a stakeholder advisory process
June 2022 Regulatory action determinations – Report to the Legislature
June 2023 Rule adoption
June 2024 Second set of priority chemicals – Report to the Legislature

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ADA Accessibility: The Department of Ecology is committed to providing people with disabilities access to information and services by meeting or exceeding the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, and Washington State Policy #188. To request an ADA accommodation, contact Ecology by phone at 360-407-6700 or email at hwtrpubs@ecy.wa.gov. For Washington Relay Service or TTY call 711 or 877-833-6341. Visit Ecology’s website for more information.

Documents

 File NameFile SizeDescriptionCategoryDate Added
August_2019_Webinar_Presentation.pdf 1.4 MB August 2019 Webinar Presentation Slides
August 2019 Webinar Presentation Slides
Outreach 08/28/19 03:53 PM
August_2019_Webinar_Attendees.pdf 467.4 KB August 2019 Webinar Attendees
August 2019 Webinar Attendees
Outreach 08/30/19 03:54 PM
August_2019_Webinar_Questions_Answers.pdf 482.8 KB August 2019 Webinar Questions and Answers
August 2019 Webinar Questions and Answers
Outreach 09/10/19 03:57 PM
September_2019_Stakeholder_Email.pdf 596.9 KB September 2019 Stakeholder Update
September 2019 Stakeholder Update
Outreach 09/18/19 03:55 PM
January_2020_Stakeholder_Email.pdf 595.8 KB January 2020 Stakeholder Update
January 2020 Stakeholder Update
Outreach 01/21/20 03:38 PM
Draft_Report_Priority_Consumer_Products.pdf 1.5 MB Draft Report on Priority Consumer Products
Draft Report on Priority Consumer Products
Reports 01/21/20 03:40 PM
Focus_On_Safer_Products_for_Washington.pdf 594.6 KB January 2020 Focus on: Safer Products for WA
January 2020 Focus on: Safer Products for WA
Outreach 01/30/20 03:57 PM
February_2020_Webinar_Presentation.pdf 4.8 MB February 2020 Webinar Presentation Slides
February 2020 Webinar Presentation Slides
Outreach 02/24/20 02:09 PM
February_2020_Webinar_Questions_Answers.pdf 166.5 KB February 2020 Webinar Questions and Answers
February 2020 Webinar Questions and Answers
Outreach 02/25/20 04:08 PM
February_2020_Webinar_Attendees.pdf 132.4 KB February 2020 Webinar Attendees
February 2020 Webinar Attendees
Outreach 02/26/20 12:23 PM
Stakeholder_Engagement _Process.pdf 490.7 KB Stakeholder Engagement Process
Stakeholder Engagement Process
Outreach 03/31/20 03:29 PM
May_2020_Stakeholder_Email.pdf 191.7 KB May 2020 Stakeholder Update
May 2020 Stakeholder Update
Outreach 05/13/20 02:49 PM
August_2020_Webinar_Presentation.pdf 4.3 MB August 2020 Webinar Presentation Slides
August 2020 Webinar Presentation Slides
Outreach 08/25/20 08:33 AM
August_2020_Webinar_Attendees.pdf 148.3 KB August 2020 Webinar Attendees
August 2020 Webinar Attendees
Outreach 09/09/20 02:34 PM
October_2020_Webinar_Presentation.pdf 6.5 MB October 2020 Webinar Presentation
October 2020 Webinar Presentation
Outreach 10/09/20 01:40 PM
October_2020_Webinar_Attendees.pdf 173.6 KB October 2020 Webinar Attendees
October 2020 Webinar Attendees
Outreach 10/28/20 03:25 PM
Phase_3_Webinar_Questions_Answers.pdf 199.2 KB Phase 3 Webinars — Questions and Answers
Phase 3 Webinars — Questions and Answers
Outreach 11/18/20 01:54 PM
SaferProductsWA_WorkingDraftCriteria_Safer.pdf 1.5 MB Working draft criteria for safer
Working draft criteria for safer
Phase 3 Implementati... 02/23/21 02:26 PM
SaferProductsWA_WorkingDraftCriteria_FeasibleAvailable.pdf 1 MB Working draft criteria for feasible and available
Working draft criteria for feasible and available
Phase 3 Implementati... 02/23/21 02:27 PM
February2021_StakeholderUpdate.pdf 667.1 KB February 2021 Stakeholder Update
February 2021 Stakeholder Update
Outreach 02/23/21 03:03 PM
March_2021_Webinar_Presentation.pdf 6 MB March 2021 Webinar Presentation Slides
March 2021 Webinar Presentation Slides
Outreach 03/10/21 04:16 PM
March_2021_Webinar_Attendees.pdf 492.4 KB March 2021 Webinar Attendees
March 2021 Webinar Attendees
Outreach 03/15/21 01:31 PM
March_2021_Webinar_Questions_Answers.pdf 761 KB March 2021 Webinar Questions and Answers
March 2021 Webinar Questions and Answers
Outreach 03/15/21 01:40 PM
May_2021_Webinar_Attendees.pdf 130.7 KB May 2021 Webinar Attendees
May 2021 Webinar Attendees
Outreach 06/02/21 08:54 AM
May_2021_Webinar_Presentation.pdf 5.6 MB May 2021 Webinar Presentation Slides
May 2021 Webinar Presentation Slides
Outreach 06/02/21 09:42 AM
May_2021_Webinar_Questions_Answers.pdf 1 MB May 2021 Webinar Questions and Answers
May 2021 Webinar Questions and Answers
Outreach 06/02/21 09:45 AM
June_2021_Webinar_Attendees.pdf 128.2 KB June 2021 Webinar Attendees
June 2021 Webinar Attendees
Outreach 07/06/21 01:16 PM
June_2021_Webinar_Presentation.pdf 5.2 MB June 2021 Webinar Presentation Slides
June 2021 Webinar Presentation Slides
Outreach 07/06/21 01:16 PM
June_2021_Webinar_Questions_Answers.pdf 865.3 KB June 2021 Webinar Questions and Answers
June 2021 Webinar Questions and Answers
Outreach 07/06/21 01:38 PM
July_13_2021_Webinar_Attendees.pdf 562.5 KB July 13, 2021 Webinar Attendees
July 13, 2021 Webinar Attendees
Outreach 07/27/21 12:20 PM
July_13_2021_Webinar_Presentation.pdf 5.2 MB July 13, 2021 Webinar Presentation Slides
July 13, 2021 Webinar Presentation Slides
Outreach 07/27/21 12:21 PM
July_13_2021_Webinar_Questions_Answers.pdf 1.1 MB July 13, 2021 Webinar Questions and Answers
July 13, 2021 Webinar Questions and Answers
Outreach 07/28/21 02:16 PM
July_27_2021_Webinar_Attendees.pdf 565.4 KB July 27, 2021 Webinar Attendees
July 27, 2021 Webinar Attendees
Outreach 08/19/21 02:42 PM
July_27_2021_Webinar_Presentation.pdf 5.7 MB July 27, 2021 Webinar Presentation Slides
July 27, 2021 Webinar Presentation Slides
Outreach 08/19/21 02:45 PM
August_17_2021_Webinar_Presentation.pdf 4.2 MB August 17, 2021 Webinar Presentation Slides
August 17, 2021 Webinar Presentation Slides
Outreach 09/16/21 10:05 AM
August_17_2021_Webinar_Attendees.pdf 496.7 KB August 17, 2021 Webinar Attendees
August 17, 2021 Webinar Attendees
Outreach 09/16/21 10:06 AM
August_31_2021_Webinar_Presentation.pdf 6.4 MB August 31, 2021 Webinar Presentation Slides
August 31, 2021 Webinar Presentation Slides
Outreach 09/16/21 10:48 AM
August_31_2021_Webinar_Attendees.pdf 132.3 KB August 31, 2021 Webinar Attendees
August 31, 2021 Webinar Attendees
Outreach 09/23/21 07:48 AM
July_27_2021_Webinar_Questions_Answers.pdf 208.3 KB July 27, 2021 Webinar Questions and Answers
July 27, 2021 Webinar Questions and Answers
Outreach 09/23/21 09:21 AM
August_17_2021_Webinar_Questions_Answers.pdf 196.4 KB August 17, 2021 Webinar Questions and Answers
August 17, 2021 Webinar Questions and Answers
Outreach 09/23/21 11:29 AM
August_31_2021_Webinar_Questions_Answers.pdf 249.7 KB August 31, 2021 Webinar Questions and Answers
August 31, 2021 Webinar Questions and Answers
Outreach 09/23/21 02:01 PM
October2021_StakeholderUpdate.pdf 189.9 KB October 2021 Stakeholder Update
October 2021 Stakeholder Update
Outreach 10/21/21 11:50 AM
Updated2021_Stakeholder_Engagement_Process.pdf 530.7 KB Stakeholder Engagement Process (updated Nov. 2021)
Stakeholder Engagement Process (updated Nov. 2021)
Outreach 11/03/21 09:19 AM
November2021_StakeholderUpdate.pdf 237.8 KB November 2021 Stakeholder Update
November 2021 Stakeholder Update
Outreach 11/17/21 03:35 PM
November2021_RukemakingAnnouncement.pdf 798.2 KB November 2021 Rulemaking Announcement
November 2021 Rulemaking Announcement
Outreach 11/22/21 10:50 AM
PrintingInks_ManufacturerData.pdf 199 KB Results from Printing Inks Product Testing for PCB...
Results from Printing Inks Product Testing for PCBs
Reports 12/02/21 11:00 AM
January2022_PublicInputMeeting_Presentation.pdf 3.2 MB January 2022 Webinar Presentation Slides
January 2022 Webinar Presentation Slides
Outreach 01/05/22 08:30 AM
VinylFlooring_ManufacturerData.pdf 182.2 KB Vinyl Flooring Manufacturer Data
Vinyl Flooring Manufacturer Data
Orders 01/25/22 09:55 AM
January_2022_Webinar_Questions_Answers.pdf 180.5 KB January 2022 Webinar Questions and Answers
January 2022 Webinar Questions and Answers
Outreach 01/31/22 12:32 PM
January_2022_Webinar_Attendees.pdf 187.8 KB January 2022 Webinar Attendees
January 2022 Webinar Attendees
Outreach 02/01/22 08:30 AM
2022_CompleteSurveyResponses.pdf 304.9 KB Public and Community Survey Responses
Public and Community Survey Responses
Outreach 04/07/22 10:28 AM
RegulatoryDeterminations_CommentOverview_2022.pdf 223.5 KB Comment Overview Regulatory Determinations Report ...
Comment Overview Regulatory Determinations Report 2022
Outreach 06/06/22 11:20 AM
June_2022_Webinar_Presentation.pdf 3 MB June 2022 Webinar Presentation Slides
June 2022 Webinar Presentation Slides
Outreach 07/07/22 04:58 PM
PreliminaryDraftRuleLanguage_Cycle1_August2022.pdf 411.5 KB Preliminary Draft Rule Language Cycle 1
Preliminary Draft Rule Language Cycle 1
Rulemaking 08/09/22 04:48 PM
PreliminaryDraftRuleLanguage_Overview_August2022.pdf 243.2 KB Overview of Preliminary Draft Rule Language
Overview of Preliminary Draft Rule Language
Rulemaking 08/09/22 04:49 PM
ElectricAndElectronicProducts_DraftResource_August2022.pdf 815.1 KB Draft Resource for Electric and Electronics Manufa...
Draft Resource for Electric and Electronics Manufacturers
Rulemaking 08/15/22 04:44 PM
August_2022_Webinar_Presentation.pdf 2.7 MB August 2022 Webinar Presentation
August 2022 Webinar Presentation
Rulemaking 08/24/22 08:06 AM
PFAS_CAP_Products_September_2022_Webinar_Presentation.pdf 3.6 MB September 2022 PFAS CAP Products Webinar Presentat...
September 2022 PFAS CAP Products Webinar Presentation Slides
Outreach 09/20/22 08:40 AM
Cycle2Chemicals_September_2022_Webinar_Presentation.pdf 2.4 MB September 2022 Cycle 2 Webinar Presentation
September 2022 Cycle 2 Webinar Presentation
Outreach 09/30/22 02:40 PM
January_2023_Webinar_Presentation.pdf 4.4 MB January 2023 Webinar Presentation
January 2023 Webinar Presentation
Rulemaking 01/17/23 01:16 PM
ElectricAndElectronicProducts_DraftResource_January2023.pdf 853.3 KB Draft Resource for Electric and Electronics Manufa...
Draft Resource for Electric and Electronics Manufacturers
Rulemaking 01/17/23 02:42 PM
ExcelTemplate_PFAS_ApparelGear_Order.xlsx 92 KB Template for completing the PFAS Apparel and Gear ...
Template for completing the PFAS Apparel and Gear Admin Order
Orders 01/31/23 03:35 PM
Guidance_CompletingPFAS_ApparelGear_Order.pdf 198.8 KB Guidance for completing the PFAS Apparel and Gear ...
Guidance for completing the PFAS Apparel and Gear Admin Order
Orders 01/31/23 07:18 PM
Proposed_Chapter_173-337WAC_Hearing_Transcript.pdf 207.3 KB January 2023 Hearing Transcripts
January 2023 Hearing Transcripts
Rulemaking 02/22/23 04:17 PM
June 2023_Cycle2 Phase 1_Presentation_Revised.pdf 3.2 MB June 2023 Cycle 2 Priority Chemicals Presentation
June 2023 Cycle 2 Priority Chemicals Presentation
Outreach 06/21/23 02:08 PM
August2023_PFASCycle_Presentation_Updated.pdf 3.7 MB August 2023 PFAS Cycle Presentation
August 2023 PFAS Cycle Presentation
Outreach 09/06/23 10:14 AM
August 2023_Webinar_Questions_Answers.pdf 255.2 KB August 2023 Webinar Questions and Answers
August 2023 Webinar Questions and Answers
Outreach 09/06/23 11:02 AM
CBI_Request_Template_SaferProductsWA_Dec2023.pdf 101.9 KB Template for Confidential Business Information req...
Template for Confidential Business Information requests
Orders 12/06/23 06:29 PM
CBI_Process_SaferProductsWA_Dec2023.pdf 216.1 KB Confidential Business Information submission proce...
Confidential Business Information submission process
Orders 12/06/23 06:36 PM
December2023_PFASCycle_Presentation.pdf 2.7 MB December 2023 PFAS Cycle Presentation
December 2023 PFAS Cycle Presentation
Outreach 12/13/23 02:49 PM
ExcelTemplate_PFAS_Firefighting_PPE_Order.xlsx 136.6 KB Template for completing PFAS Firefighting PPE Orde...
Template for completing PFAS Firefighting PPE Order
Orders 01/09/24 11:32 AM
Guidance_PFAS_Firefighting_PPE_Order.pdf 207.1 KB Guidance for completing PFAS Firefighting PPE Orde...
Guidance for completing PFAS Firefighting PPE Order
Orders 01/09/24 04:34 PM
December2023_Webinar_Questions_Answers.pdf 251.1 KB December 2023 Webinar Questions and Answers
December 2023 Webinar Questions and Answers
Outreach 01/17/24 06:42 PM
June 2023_Cycle2 Phase1_Webinar_Questions_Answers.pdf 150.6 KB June 2023 Webinar Questions and Answers
June 2023 Webinar Questions and Answers
Outreach 01/24/24 03:52 PM

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