Department of Ecology
Committees, Boards, and Workgroups

Department of Ecology uses this site to share information to engage interested parties and the public about antifouling boat paint studies. For more information, please visit our Antifouling boat paint laws website.

We’ve been studying antifouling paints and ingredients as directed by RCW 70A.445.020. In the most recent report, we focus on developing safer criteria and determining whether safer and effective alternatives to copper-based paints are feasible, reasonable, and readily available.

We recently published Antifouling Paints in Washington State: Third Report to the Legislature. In the third report, we developed hazard-based criteria to determine whether antifouling chemicals are safer than copper. We also identified data gaps and conducted performance testing to evaluate the effectiveness of various alternatives.We concluded that the potential restrictions on copper-based paints identified in RCW 70A.334.020(3)(a)(c) won’t take effect and we’ll conduct a second review of relevant studies and information. We’ll submit a follow-up report to the Legislature by 2029.

Related Publications and Resources

2024 Report: Antifouling Paints in Washington State: Third Report to the Legislature

2024:  Response to Comments: Third Report to the Legislature on Antifouling Paints in Washington State

2024 Focus Sheet: Antifouling Boat Paints: Update 2024

2019 Report: Antifouling Paints in Washington State Report and Recommendations

2019 Focus Sheet: Focus on Antifouling Boat Paint

2017 Report: Report to the Legislature on Non-Copper Antifouling Paints for Recreational Vessels in Washington

What are we doing now?

We invited public comments on the Draft Antifouling Paints in Washington State: Third Report to the Legislature from December 4, 2023 to January 17, 2024. Ecology received a total of seven submissions through the automated form or emails. We have reviewed the comments, developed a response to comments document, and updated the final Legislative report. We're currently reaching out to interested parties to share these two recent publications. 

As a result of the third report, we're required to prepare another updated report in five years. If you have any suggestions or information to share with our project team, please feel free to reach out. 

Past Events

December 4, 2023, to January 17, 2024: Public comment period

Thank you to all the individuals and organizations who submitted comments. We plan to provide a written response to the comments. It will be available in the summer of 2024.

December 6, 2023: Public workshop

The workshop provided an overview of the draft report, emphasized the draft determinations, shared public comment information, and provided an opportunity for the public to ask questions.

• Meeting agenda
• Presentation slides
• Performance Test Preliminary Results by WSU research team

September 7, 2023: Industry workshop

The meeting gathered information and input from industry stakeholders.

• Meeting agenda
• Presentation slides

Contacts

Iris Deng, PhD 
Toxics Researcher  
Department of Ecology
Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction Program
iris.deng@ecy.wa.gov

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 hwtrpubs@ecy.wa.gov. For Washington Relay Service or TTY call 711 or 877-833-6341. Visit Ecology’s website for more information.