The State of Washington has proposed a change to its Water Quality Standards—one that would increase our cancer risk level from one in 1 million to one in 100,000.
To view the proposed rule language, click here
A public hearing on Tuesday, March 17 will be hosted by the Seattle Human Rights Commission to address the proposed tenfold increase in cancer risk level for those who eat fish caught in Washington waters.
The Seattle Human Rights Commission said in a statement: “The State of Washington’s existing Water Quality Standards are not protecting people from ingesting harmful levels of toxics and a host of other chemicals that put us at increased risk of developing cancer and other chronic diseases. The State now proposes to revise its Water Quality Standards to protect us in safely eating one fish meal a day (175 g/day), but only if we accept a tenfold increase in our cancer risk level. This impacts the Asian Pacific Islander community—who are amongst the highest fish consuming groups in Washington State.”
The Seattle Human Rights Commission said it is hosting this session as a public hearing in response to the Department of Ecology not hosting a public hearing in King County, despite almost a third of State residents living there.
To view the change.org petition by the Seattle Human Rights Commission, click here
The public hearing happens Tuesday, March 17, 2015 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Seattle City Hall, Bertha Knight Landes Room.