OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Ecology reached a settlement agreement with Coastal Transportation Inc. (Coastal) over a February 2023 spill of diesel into Seattle’s Lake Washington Ship Canal that occurred during a fuel transfer. The original …
OLYMPIA – Climate change is already increasing the severity of wildfires, heatwaves, droughts, and floods in Washington. Slower, less visible impacts caused by climate change, like sea level rise and ocean acidification, are also putting added stress on …
This is a follow-up to our March blog post about drought conditions in the Yakima Basin. If you live in the Yakima Basin, you know things are looking hot and dry with the irrigation season well under way. Here’s what else you need to know about the drought …
In March 2024, the Washington State Legislature passed Organics Management Law 2.0 (OML 2.0), including changes to the compostable product labeling standards (“Plastic Product Degradability,” chapter 70A.455 RCW). Below is a summary of key updates that go …
OLYMPIA – Your to-go box and other food service items will be changing starting this summer. Beginning June 1, restaurants, businesses, organizations, or other institutions will no longer be able to provide expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam coolers, cups, …
We’re approaching warmer and sunnier days. Many of us look forward to this weather so we can enjoy a day at our favorite beach. Meanwhile, our scientists look forward to wading into Puget Sound to collect water samples. What are they looking for? Fecal …
In 2004, the State of Washington listed the Spokane River as impaired for toxics because it was contaminated with chemicals called polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs. This listing made it clear that improving the water quality of the Spokane River was …
UNION GAP – On May 29, state and local agencies are hosting an open house-style event to provide information about well water safety in the Lower Yakima Valley. The event is hosted by a group of agencies working to reduce nitrate contamination in the …
En inglés Agua limpia para vivir, trabajar y divertirse El agua que sale de su grifo debe ser potable y apta para cocinar. Por desgracia, esto no es así para algunos usuarios de pozos privados del valle bajo de Yakima. El agua subterránea de este área …
When I joined a Washington Conservation Corps (WCC) environmental justice crew in October 2023, I knew what environmental justice was but I didn’t know what it looked like in practice. As a recent University of Puget Sound graduate with degrees in history …
OLYMPIA – A new Washington regulation will help reduce emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, from municipal solid waste landfills in the state. Methane has more than 80 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period …
OLYMPIA – Not all waterbodies in Washington meet the state’s definition of ‘clean’ – but that doesn’t always mean that those waters are polluted. Even in their most natural, unaltered states, some rivers, streams, lakes, and parts of Puget Sound may be …
Most of us, most of the time, don’t think about breathing. We don’t think about the approximately 15 breaths per minute, 17,000 breaths per day, or more than 6 million breaths a year that we take. And we don’t think about the quality of the air we breathe. …
Concrete structures like buildings, foundations, and sidewalks, might seem like they will last forever, but modern-day concrete structures generally do not last longer than 50 to 100 years. Concrete is widely used in construction because it is resilient, …
In mid-April, the final phase of cleanup began at the Pasco Landfill (view map). Contaminated soil in Zone A that remains after the removal of about 35,000 drums of hazardous waste will be treated using an in-situ thermal remediation (ISTR) system. The …
BELLINGHAM – The Washington Department of Ecology filed a basin-wide general adjudication for the Nooksack river system and nearby areas with the Whatcom County Superior Court on May 1, formally beginning the adjudication process. A water rights …
Cosmetics are more than makeup. Cosmetics include most self-care products—anything intended to be used on the human body for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance, such as shampoo, deodorant, and lotion. Some …
Photo courtesy of King County Wastewater Treatment Division Each municipal wastewater treatment plant in Washington is regulated by their own unique water quality permits from Ecology. These permits ensure that the wastewater treated by these facilities is …
Our marine scientists survey beaches througout Puget Sound and test water for fecal bacteria. Puget Sound is home to almost 4.2 million people, and many of us enjoy visiting our local beaches. Sometimes our beaches can also harbor harmful bacteria, which …
The Ecology Spills Program prepares for oil and hazardous substance spills and responds to them with a rapid, aggressive, and well-coordinated posture. However, preventing spills from happening in the first place is the best way to protect the environment …
