As we jump into warmer weather, it’s time to watch for harmful algal blooms in Washington lakes and rivers. While these blooms typically appear in late summer or fall, changing climate conditions and human-caused nutrient pollution make it hard to guess …
OLYMPIA – Makeup, cosmetics and other personal care products can sometimes contain toxic chemicals. Since these products are used on skin, hair or sometimes teeth, those toxics pose a special concern for protecting people’s health. In 2023, the …
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 …
We regulate stormwater at nearly 1,200 industrial facilities across Washington through the Industrial Stormwater General Permit. This permit covers businesses like log yards, tank farms, rail yards, trucking facilities, auto recyclers, marine cargo …
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 …
En español Clean water for living, working, & playing When you turn on your faucet, the water that comes out should be safe to drink and cook with. Unfortunately, this isn't true for some private well users in the Lower Yakima Valley. Groundwater …
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 …
In 2015, testing detected PFAS in some of the groundwater in the Lower Issaquah Valley. PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a family of manufactured chemicals that persist in the environment. Some of them are toxic and can accumulate in …
OLYMPIA – Puyallup-based contractor RM Homes LLC will pay a reduced $40,000 penalty for water quality violations at a construction site in Gig Harbor, under a settlement agreement with the Washington Department of Ecology. In 2023, state and local …
Often, we think of nutrients as a good thing. We want nutrient-rich foods, and we may add nutrients like nitrogen or phosphorus to our gardens to help plants grow. Unfortunately, what’s good for our gardens, is a big problem for Puget Sound. Puget Sound is …
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 …
RICHLAND – Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE), Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology), and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a landmark agreement that proposes a realistic and achievable course for cleaning up …
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 …
