Video highlights Washington's innovative cleanup law

Toxic control act turns 30!

We're celebrating 30 years of cleaning up Washington under our environmental cleanup law – the Model Toxics Control Act. Thanks to our cleanup law, more than 7,000 sites in Washington are cleaned up. 

Our cleanup law evolved from citizens’ Initiative 97 in 1988 and became law in 1989. Its key principles are:

• The polluter pays.
• Cleanups should be as permanent as possible.
• Public participation is crucial.
• Processes should demonstrate a bias toward action, permanence, and innovation.

Watch our short video for highlights of the history of this citizen-led, innovative law.