“The state Senate passed legislation Saturday to sharply restrict the sale of a class of firefighting foams linked to water pollution in Washington and elsewhere in the nation.
State Senate Bill 6413, approved 39-8, would largely prohibit — as of 2020 — the sale of firefighting foams containing polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl chemicals — known as PFAS. Those chemicals have been found in some drinking-water wells on Whidbey Island, Issaquah, Joint Base Lewis-McChord and Airway Heights near Fairchild Air Force Base…
If the bill passes both chambers, Washington would become the first state to restrict the sale of firefighting foams with PFAS, said Ivy Sager-Rosenthal of Toxic-Free Future, a group that advocated for the bill.
The bill now heads to the House, where a companion bill passed out of committee.
The foams are used for fighting oil-based fires, but alternative foams without the chemicals also are available.
The federal government has not approved the use of the alternatives for the national airport system or military bases, so the legislation includes an exemption for such facilities that fall under these federal regulations.”
Read the full article by Hal Bernton.