The bill amends existing Washington state law regarding lead content in cookware and introduces new definitions and regulations. Key definitions are updated to include "component" which now encompasses various parts of cookware, such as griddles and surfaces that touch food, while excluding inaccessible components. The term "cookware" is expanded to include utensils and specifies that large appliances without metal surfaces in direct contact with food are not included. Additionally, a new definition for "inaccessible component" is introduced, clarifying which parts of cookware are not subject to lead content regulations.

Starting January 1, 2026, the bill prohibits manufacturers from producing or selling cookware or components containing lead or lead compounds exceeding five parts per million. Retailers and wholesalers are also restricted from knowingly selling such products, although they are not liable for unknowingly selling restricted items. The bill allows for exemptions for previously owned cookware sold casually or by nonprofit organizations. Furthermore, it grants the Department of Ecology the authority to lower the lead limit after December 2034, based on feasibility and health considerations for vulnerable populations.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 70A.565.010, 70A.02.010
Substitute Bill: 70A.565.010, 70A.02.010