WDOE Stormwater Work Group: 6PPPD Subgroup Meeting - December 13, 2023 1:00-3:00 pm

The Washington Department of Ecology’s 6PPD Workgroup is holding another meeting on 6PPD-quinone on December 13th from 10-3pm  Information on how to participate can be found at https://sites.google.com/site/pugetsoundstormwaterworkgroup/  The agenda is located at this link. 

According to the announcement, the session will include updates on:

• Legislative budget reporting, new 6PPD staff, current projects;

• Soliciting for new projects through a Request for Proposals (RFP) and Interagency Agreements (IAAs); and

• SWG Stormwater Action Monitoring (SAM) study selection process: 4 new funded projects with 6PPD and 6PPD-q parameters.

It will also include a presentation on King County’s “Testing Removal of 6PPDQ and Coho Salmon Lethality by High Performance Bioretention Media Blends” 

ESA Lawsuit Filed Against Tire Manufacturers’ Use of 6PPD Linked to Coho Mortality

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

The WCTU Advocacy Committee continues to follow developments aimed to control and prevent the discharge of 6PPD-quinone to streams in the Northwest.  As discussed in prior posts, 6PPD-quinone (a transformation compound from 6PPD used in tires) has been linked to acute toxic mortality to pre-spawn adult coho salmon.  Studies are also finding toxicity to brook trout and rainbow trout.  Last week, Earthjustice, on behalf of several fishing groups, filed a lawsuit against the tire manufacturers alleging a violation of the Endangered Species Act.  The lawsuit alleges that the manufacturing and distribution of tires containing 6PPD causes the “take” of ESA-protected coho salmon, Chinook salmon, and steelhead trout.  It seeks to prohibit the tire industry from continuing to manufacture and distribute tires made with 6PPD.  We will continue to monitor this lawsuit.  An article in the Seattle Times provides a summary.

6ppd-quinone and Coho Mortality: EPA Grants Petition under TSCA to Review 6ppd from Tire Wear Particles

Coho returning to spawn in a Puget Sound creek (K. King / USFWS).

 On November 2nd, EPA granted a petition from the Yurok Tribe (OR & CA), the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe (WA), and the Puyallup Tribe of Indians (WA) under Section 21 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).  In granting the petition, EPA is agreeing to undertake an evaluation of 6ppd under Section 6(a) of TSCA to determine whether “the manufacture, processing, distribution in commerce, use, or disposal of a chemical substance or mixture, or that any combination of such activities, presents an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment.” 

The letter granting the petition acknowledges the hazards from 6ppd but is careful to state that it does not yet support issuing a rule under TSCA 6(a).  Instead, EPA will undertake a rulemaking proceeding to gather more information on the hazards of 6ppd. If it then determines that a TSCA Section 6(a) rule is warranted, it could limit or even prohibit the manufacturing, processing, or distribution in commerce of 6ppd.  EPA intends to issue an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking in the Fall of 2024 to gather more information for making a TSCA Section 6(a) decision, with a final rule to be issued “before 2025”.