City of Bellingham
DRAFT RESOLUTION FOR PBT- FREE PURCHASING

A RESOLUTION relating to persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic chemicals (PBTs), stating the City of Bellingham's intent to reduce its use of PBTs.

WHEREAS, a group of pollutants known as Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxic chemicals (PBTs) are toxic, persist in the environment and build up in the food chain, and can pose risks to public health and the environment; and

WHEREAS, phasing out the use, production and release of PBTs is important to protecting environmental and public health because once these chemicals are produced, it is difficult and costly to manage, destroy or degrade them; and

WHEREAS, the 2005 Federal Comprehensive Environmental Response and Liabilities Act created a list of the most hazardous substances with Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), and Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) being in the top ten, and all the above listed chemicals are PBTs; and

WHEREAS, respected expert associations and agencies including the American Public Health Association, the United Nations Environment Program, the Chicago Medical Society and the International Joint Commission of the U.S. and Canadian governments, have agreed upon the
benefits of reducing PBT pollution in the environment; and

WHEREAS, Governor Gary Locke signed Executive Order 04- 01 on “Persistent Toxic Chemicals” in 2004 recognizing the need to monitor, control, and phase out PBTs in Washington State; and

WHEREAS, the Washington State Department of Ecology is developing a list of priority PBTs that includes chemicals that Ecology believes require greater attention because of their persistence, bioaccumulation and toxicity characteristics; and

WHEREAS, the Washington State Department of Ecology is pursuing a plan to phase out existing PBTs, clean up historical uses of PBTs, and prevent new sources of PBTs in the State, including mercury, dioxin and PCBs; and

WHEREAS, Washington State implemented RCW 70.95M, a Chemical Action Plan for Mercury, recognizing the need to establish programs to phase out mercury in products; and acknowledging that the purchase or selling of a variety of mercury products in WA State is prohibited as of January 1, 2006 and effective January 1, 2007; and

WHEREAS, Executive Order 02-03 Establishing Sustainability and Efficiency Goals for State Operations guides purchases of State agencies requiring environmentally preferable purchasing, and the City of Bellingham may choose to adopt these formal policies; and

WHEREAS, approximately 85,700 people, over half the county’s population, rely on Lake Whatcom for drinking water, and Lake Whatcom is listed as an impaired water body under Section 303 (d) of the federal Clean Water Act for mercury, PCBs, and dieldrin as of 2004, and these chemicals are PBTs; and

WHEREAS, City Council has listed protection of Lake Whatcom Reservoir and enhancement and protection of the City’s environmental assets as goals for 2006, and budgetary decisions are based on these priorities; and

WHEREAS, the City has already demonstrated its commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability, including:
• Adopting Earth Charter resolution: Resolution No. 2002-44 stating that the City supports the efforts of many organizations promoting environmental stewardship as well as social and economic justice. The City aims to ensure a healthy future for the community and the earth.

• Adopting Green building resolution: Resolution No. 2005-21 stating that the promotion of the use of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards in the construction and renovation of city buildings in the construction of the private sector.

• Adopting Resolution 65-90 adopting goals for the procurement of recycled products stating that waste reduction by prudent purchasing is another way of achieving a reduction in the waste stream; and

• The City of Bellingham in July 2006 decided to “green” 100% of the electricity used in City operations by purchasing renewable energy credits; and

• And by enacting the informal policies:
-Phasing out Chromated Copper Arsenate (CAA) for Alkaline Copper Quarternary (ACQ)
-Phasing out the use of CRT monitors by purchasing LCD computer monitors which have a lower toxicity; and

WHEREAS, potential adverse environmental and health effects from PBTs may be reduced through purchasing decisions that reduce or eliminate products that result in the creation or release of PBTs; and alternative, less toxic options exist for many products, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BELLINGHAM, THE MAYOR
CONCURRING, THAT:

Section 1.

The City of Bellingham considers PBT reduction to be a high priority for action to reduce risk to public and environmental health, and intends by this resolution to encourage the reduction of
pollution from PBTs.

Section 2.

The City of Bellingham will consider the presence of PBTs and the potential for their release in making purchasing decisions by

Formalizing existing policies that promote the use of environmentally superior choices; and

Differentiating products containing PBTs and those that result in the release of PBTs during production or disposal from those that do not; and

Purchasing PBT free products preferably over those that contain PBTs when the cost differential in not more than 10%. Acknowledging that the City may choose to procure PBT free products even when the cost differential is more than 10%, if the City finds that decision to be in its, and the environments best interest.

 

Adopted by the City Council the _____ day of _______________, 200 ,
and signed by me in open session in authentication of its adoption
this _____ day of _______________, 200 .
________________________________________
President of the City Council

THE MAYOR CONCURRING:
________________________________________
Mayor

Filed by me this _____ day of _______________, 200 .
________________________________________
City Clerk

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