Reducing Toxic Threats > Gathering Data

Gathering data on toxics

Information on the presence of toxic chemicals in products and the environment is often not available. Even when we know what chemicals in products, we often don't know how toxic they may be. Without these data, it is difficult to know what risks we face. Having more information helps us target our work to prevent toxic releases.

Toxics in products

Without information on the presence and toxicity of chemicals in products, it is difficult to know what risks we face from them.

Under Washington’s Children's Safe Product Act (CSPA), Ecology and the Department of Health have identified a list of chemicals of concern to children. Once the rule-making process for the law is complete, manufacturers of children’s products will be required to report to Ecology what products contain these chemicals.

The purpose of this law is to gather information to both let consumers know which products contain these chemicals and to help policy makers understand more about the uses and potential exposures that occur from that use. It is a first step toward getting to safer products for children.

Toxics in the environment

Environmental toxics monitoring provides the foundation from which actions can be taken to reduce the risk from toxic chemicals. Ecology's Environmental Assessment Program conducts monitoring to evaluate the occurrences and risks from toxic chemicals in Washington's environment. The Chemicals In Washington Report collects information to minimize the effects of potential chemical accidents, and provides the public with information about potentially dangerous chemicals in their communities.

One important tool that will give Ecology and our partners important information needed to help restore the health of Puget Sound is the Control of Toxic Chemicals in Puget Sound project. This multi-phase research project is looking at what toxic substances are in the Sound, how they enter and where they concentrate. This study will help us finalize a list of toxic chemicals of most concern to Puget Sound cleanup.

Ecology collects and compiles environmental monitoring data on our air, land, and water on the Ecology for Scientists page.