In December 2000, after many years of work by Washington Toxics Coalition and its partners, the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) released a first-in-the-nation policy and plan to eliminate dioxin, mercury, and other persistent toxic pollution. The agency established a comprehensive program to carry out the goals of the policy:

• Phasing out existing sources of persistent pollution.
• Cleaning up historical sources of persistent pollution.
• Preventing new sources from releasing more persistent pollution into our environment.

Washington Toxics Coalition and the Toxic-Free Legacy Coalition have worked hard to ensure the policy and program at Ecology remain strong and we have fought back massive opposition from the chemical and pulp and paper industries intent on derailing the program.

Washington Toxics Coalition is working to ensure that the state follows through on its commitment to eliminate persistent toxic pollution.

Resources

• Stop Toxic Pollution! (Dept. of Ecology program to eliminate certain persistent pollutants) (124K PDF file)
• The Department of Ecology Persistent Toxic Chemical Strategy (Ecology's FAQ page and copy of their draft rule, May 2005)
  
• Mercury Chemical Action Plan