Committee Recommends Steps to Reduce Toxics

An advisory committee recommends the state work harder on the riskiest toxic chemicals, finding replacements and helping businesses, especially small ones.

These and other recommendations come from the Toxics Reduction Advisory Committee, which Ecology established at the request of the Legislature. It met last year to investigate ways the state can reduce the use of toxics, and improve the pollution prevention planning program.

The committee members included large and small businesses, business associations, toxicologists, government agencies, and citizens’ groups that advocate less use of toxics. Among other actions, it recommended the state:

• Help small businesses find safer alternatives to toxic substances.
• Expand statewide the EnviroStars program, which recognizes businesses that voluntarily go “beyond compliance.”
• Increase funding for a revolving account established to help manufacturers make process improvements.
• Make fees charged to pollution prevention planners – the largest generators and users of toxics – both fairer and more proportional to the potential threat posed to people and the environment.
• Increase the resources devoted to “Lean and Green,” which uses lean manufacturing techniques to reduce environmental wastes, and the Technical Resources for Engineering Efficiency (TREE) Team, which provides free engineering support for pollution prevention at small and mid-sized companies.

The recommendations show a direction for Ecology’s pollution prevention program for the future. Some actions will have to wait since they require legislative action, or new funds, which will be difficult in the current financial situation.

For a copy of the report, visit: www.ecy.wa.gov/biblio/0804029. html. For more information about Ecology technical assistance services, visit: www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/hwtr/reducewaste.html.