Take action today to protect public health.

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Environmental Champion,

Fall is the season where everyone in the Pacific Northwest puts on their rain jacket before heading outside. But did you know that most rain jackets are actually coated with chemicals that are known to cause cancer?

PFAS stands for “per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances,” a group of toxic chemicals that pose serious health concerns, like cancer, liver damage, and cardiovascular disease. Unfortunately, in Washington State, many everyday objects such as rain jackets, carpets, upholstery, food wrappers, cookware, and drinking water contain PFAS.

These are “forever chemicals,” meaning they do not break down easily and build up in our bodies over time. Even worse, chronic diseases linked to PFAS make people more vulnerable to the impacts of COVID-19 and further exacerbate health disparities for communities of color.

The Washington Departments of Ecology and Health are finalizing the PFAS Chemical Action Plan, the blueprint to address and prevent further PFAS contamination in our state. Washington State must take strong action to protect us and our environment from these forever chemicals.

The Departments of Ecology and Health know that PFAS chemicals present a serious risk to our health and environment. Take action today and let them know they must take bold action to get these toxic chemicals out of our lives. [[link removed]]

In addition to everyday products, PFAS are present in industrial discharges and in firefighting foams that have contaminated drinking water for millions of people across the country. Several military sites in Washington, including Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, and Fairchild Air Force Base, have levels of PFAS in drinking water that exceed the EPA’s health advisory level.

We must take bold action to ban, regulate, and cleanup PFAS contamination in our state. We cannot depend on federal action as it could take a while and is not guaranteed to be sufficiently protective. It’s unacceptable that any community must suffer health, economic, and other negative consequences while the chemical industry reaps huge profits.

Tell Ecology that PFAS must be restricted, reclassified, and cleaned up from our environment. [[link removed]]

Onward,

Mindy Roberts

Puget Sound Program Director

Washington Conservation Voters

1402 Third Avenue, Suite 1400 | Seattle, WA 98101

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