The bill aims to enhance consumer safety by regulating lead content in aluminum and brass cookware, utensils, and components. It amends existing laws to define various types of cookware and introduces new restrictions on lead levels. Specifically, starting January 1, 2026, manufacturers are prohibited from producing or selling aluminum or brass cookware containing lead above 90 parts per million, with further reductions to 50 parts per million by January 1, 2030, and 20 parts per million by January 1, 2034. Retailers and wholesalers are also subject to these restrictions, and the bill includes provisions for exemptions for previously owned items and certain categories of cookware.

Additionally, the bill mandates the Washington State Department of Ecology to develop guidance for manufacturers regarding compliance and testing for lead content. It establishes cookware containing lead as a priority consumer product, requiring the department to evaluate and determine regulatory actions by June 1, 2032, and to adopt rules by June 1, 2033. The department is also tasked with collecting data on lead levels in cookware products and ensuring that this information is made publicly available. The bill emphasizes the importance of protecting vulnerable populations from lead exposure through these regulatory measures.

Statutes affected:
Original bill: 70A.565.010, 70A.02.010
Substitute bill: 70A.565.010, 70A.02.010
Engrossed substitute: 70A.565.010, 70A.02.010
Bill as passed Legislature: 70A.565.010, 70A.02.010
Session law: 70A.565.010, 70A.02.010