Persistent, bioaccumulative toxins (PBTs) are chemicals that pose a unique threat to human health and the environment in Washington state. They remain in the environment for long periods of time, are hazardous to the health of humans and wildlife, can build up in the food chain, and can be transported long distances and readily move between air, land and water media.

Because of the unique threat that these PBTs pose, special attention is necessary to identify actions that will reduce and eliminate threats to human health and the environment. While ecology addresses PBTs through existing regulatory and nonregulatory programs, there remains a need for multimedia, cross-program measures that will reduce and phase-out releases and uses of PBTs over time.

The goal of this chapter is to reduce and phase-out PBT uses, releases and exposures in Washington. Ecology recognizes that many factors will influence whether and when this goal can be attained and that those factors will often vary depending on the PBT and the uses of the PBT. These factors include environmental and human health benefits, economic and social costs, technical feasibility, availability of safer substitutes, and consistency with other regulatory requirements. This chapter establishes a process that ecology will use to evaluate and identify actions that should be taken for particular PBTs. This process is designed to enhance actions being taken under other environmental laws and regulations.