Washington state eyes action on toxics for orca recovery

A taskforce organised by Washington Governor Jay Inslee to protect the orca population has recommended the state take action to "prevent the use and release" of certain chemicals of emerging concern. These include flame retardants, phthalates and PFASs. The recommendation came in a November report of the Southern Resident Orca Task Force, a group formed at the direction of a governor’s executive order from March 2018 to identify and support the implementation of a long-term plan for recovering the region's waning killer whale population.