Press Statements
The rule will make it easier to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up their toxic contamination Safer States and Toxic-Free Future applaud this important step while urging EPA to take the next step and list all PFAS as hazardous under Superfund WASHINGTON, DC⸺Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a final rule to designate […]
Commitment comes after years of PFAS action by states and leading retailers nationwide Safer States and Toxic-Free Future applaud EPA’s record low drinking water standards WASHINGTON, DC—Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced final drinking water standards for six individual PFAS “forever chemicals” including PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, HFPO-DA (GenX), and PFBS. This is […]
Governor Jay Inslee today signed the Lead in Cookware Act Toxic-Free Future applauds the Governor for taking this important action to protect communities SEATTLE, WA—Today, Washington’s Governor, Jay Inslee, signed a first-in-the-nation bill that bans lead in cookware. The Lead in Cookware Act (HB 1551), sponsored by Washington State Representative Gerry Pollett (D-46), bans the […]
Tens of thousands of Americans die each year from asbestos-related diseases Toxic-Free Future agrees it is a good step forward but urges EPA to ban all asbestos to protect people from its deadly effects WASHINGTON, DC—This morning, EPA Administrator Michael Regan announced a final rule banning chrysotile asbestos, one of six harmful asbestos fibers found […]
Bans of PFAS in food packaging are the result of state laws and corporate actions Health advocates agree that FDA’s announcement is a step forward but more must be done to protect public health SEATTLE, WA—The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday announced progress on a voluntary agreement from 2020 with PFAS manufacturers […]
Cancer-causing vinyl chloride is a key ingredient in production of PVC plastic, used in building materials and packaging Public health groups call on EPA to ban vinyl chloride UPDATED: December 17, 2023 WASHINGTON, DC—Today, the U.S. EPA announced the beginning of a regulatory process to designate vinyl chloride as a high-priority chemical under the Toxic […]
Public health advocates urge more action to end PFAS contamination SEATTLE, WA— Today, the Washington State Department of Ecology issued a draft report to the legislature proposing new restrictions on the “forever chemicals,” per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), under its Safer Products law. The agency is recommending bans on PFAS in apparel, cleaning products, and […]
EPA announced a proposed ban on the manufacture, processing, and use of trichloroethylene (TCE), a toxic chemical that has been widely detected in drinking water and is used in stain removers, degreasers, and a range of industrial processes.
Outdoor retailer Dick’s Sporting Goods quietly announced it will ban PFAS "forever chemicals" in its own-brand textile products. This action was part of a major update to its Restricted Substance List (RSL) released in March.
The Washington State Department of Ecology proposed seven new “Priority Chemicals and Chemical Classes,” used in a wide variety of consumer products, from cookware and household cleaners to tires and products made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), among others. The announcement launches “Cycle 2” of regulations as part of Safer Products for Washington, the nation’s strongest law regulating toxic chemicals in products.