Waste 2 Resources > PBT Initiative > Chemical Action Plan (CAP)

What is a Chemical Action Plan (CAP)?

A CAP is a comprehensive plan to identify, characterize and evaluate all uses and releases of a specific PBT, a group of PBTs or metals of concern. A CAP is a plan, not legislation or a rule. It recommends actions to protect human health and the environment. Some of the recommendations may lead to new legislation or rules. These would go through the normal legislative or rulemaking process.

The PBT Initiative focuses on one toxic substance at a time. Ecology develops each CAP in collaboration with other agencies and experts representing various business, agricultural and advocacy sectors.

What chemicals have CAPs?
CAPs have been finalized for mercury and PBDEs.

The development of the CAP for lead is now in progress.

How does Ecology decide what chemicals need CAPs?
The PBT Rule defines a detailed and scientific process used by Ecology and the Department of Health to prioritize the order in which CAPs will be developed for chemicals on the PBT list.

The current Multiyear CAP Schedule lays out the planned schedule for the next three calendar years. It explains how and why Ecology gave priority to the chemicals slated for CAP development in 2008, 2009, and 2010.

The current priority chemicals in the Multiyear CAP schedule are:

Lead Lead is naturally occurring metal and a powerful neurotoxin. Lead can cause many different types of health problems in both people and wildlife. Everyone has some exposure to lead, and harmful effects can occur from relatively common everyday exposures. While exposure to lead-based paint is thought to be the most frequent cause of lead poisoning in children, there are many other sources of lead from past and current uses.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) PAHs are a group of more than 100 different chemicals. Some occur as a byproduct of burning organic substances like coal, oil, gas or garbage and end up as soot. Some PAHs are manufactured and used to make products ranging from roofing tar to medicines, from plastics to pesticides. Animal studies have linked PAHs to reproductive problems and weakened immune systems.

Perfluorooctane sulfonates (PFOS) PFOS and their chemical variations were used historically as water, oil, soil and grease repellents for carpets, fabric and upholstery and food packaging. They were also used in specialized applications such as fire-fighting foams, aviation hydraulic fluids, and insecticides.