NEWS RELEASE

City of Olympia Says Yes to Less Toxics

Resolution will Reduce Pesticides and Persistent Toxics

Olympia, WA, January 2006 - The Olympia City Council unanimously adopted a resolution to reduce the purchase and use of pesticides and persistent toxic chemicals. The resolution will ensure that the most toxic pesticides are not used in city parks and directs the city to reduce purchases of products such as PVC pipes, chlorine-bleached paper, and mercury thermostats. The resolution is the first of its kind in the state to address both pesticides and persistent toxic chemicals.

The resolution was promoted by a local coalition known as the Healthy Olympia Task Force, which includes dozens of Olympia residents, the Black Hills Audubon Society, People for Puget Sound, and the Washington Toxics Coalition.

"The City of Olympia has shown real leadership in adopting this forward-thinking policy," said Jean MacGregor of the Black Hills Audubon Society. "We can have beautiful parks and buildings without toxic chemicals."

Persistent toxic chemicals include PCBs, mercury, and dioxin, and other chemicals that persist in the environment and build up in the food chain. These chemicals have been linked to certain cancers, birth defects, and other reproductive problems.

"Pesticides and persistent toxic chemicals pose a real threat to the health of our kids as well as to wildlife like orca whales," says Beth Doglio, an Olympia parent and member of the Healthy Olympia Task Force. "The City of Olympia is saying with this resolution that we know we can use healthier methods and materials. I want our city to be a leader in putting health first."

Olympia joins the ranks of a number of Washington cities, counties, and school districts that have ended the use of pesticides linked to cancer, harm to the nervous system, and other serious health problems. These include the cities of Seattle, Snohomish, Lynnwood, and Bainbridge Island, King and Thurston Counties, and seven school districts including Vancouver and Oak Harbor. In 2002, the City of Seattle also adopted a resolution to reduce its purchase of products containing or contributing to persistent toxic pollution.

"Cities like Olympia are a bellwether for the movement away from reliance upon toxic chemicals," says Angela Storey, Pesticides Organizer with the Washington Toxics Coalition. "Our children deserve a chemical-free future and communities in Washington are leading the way."

For more information, contact Angela Storey at Washington Toxics Coalition, astorey@watoxics.org or 206-632-1545 ext. 111.