Safe cookware

AN ACT Relating to providing consumer access to safe cookware and 1
interstate and international trade certainty in the regulation of 2
lead in cookware; and amending RCW 70A.565.010 and 70A.565.020.3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
Sec. 1. RCW 70A.565.010 and 2025 c 266 s 1 are each amended to 5
read as follows: 6
The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter 7
unless the context clearly requires otherwise. 8
(1)(a) "Aluminum or brass cookware" means the following items 9
when made of brass or aluminum: Pots, pans, kettles, griddles, 10
grills, internal pots for devices such as rice cookers or pressure 11
cookers, and similar vessels or surfaces in or on which food is 12
cooked. 13
(b) "Aluminum or brass cookware" does not include:14
(i) Items with only an internal layer of aluminum or brass that 15
((is completely enclosed by stainless steel )) has a stainless steel 16
food contact cooking surface that is metallurgically bonded and has 17
de minimus amounts of aluminum or brass exposed at the exterior edge 18
of the cookware; ((or))19
S-3692.2
SENATE BILL 5975
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Senators Harris, Cleveland, and Hasegawa
Prefiled 01/05/26. Read first time 01/12/26. Referred to Committee
on Environment, Energy & Technology.
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(ii) The body of electronic cooking devices with removable 1
cooking containers, such as slow cookers, rice cookers, and pressure 2
cookers;3
(iii) A stove or range, cooktop, or similar large appliance, and 4
any components thereof, except that a grill or griddle surface or 5
zone included as a cooking surface on such an appliance remains 6
subject to this chapter; or7
(iv) Cookware with incidental, de minimis, or trace amounts of 8
lead that are unintentionally added, are present as a result of 9
impurities or technically unavoidable manufacturing processes, and do 10
not result in exposure above levels of concern as determined 11
consistent with United States environmental protection agency 12
guidance. 13
(2) "Aluminum or brass cookware component" means cookware parts , 14
intended for food contact in or on which food is cooked, made of 15
aluminum or brass ((such as )) and that are lids, rivets, fasteners, 16
valves, and vent pipes , unless the intended food contact surfaces are 17
enclosed by stainless steel or a surface coating permitted by the 18
federal food and drug administration. 19
(3) "Aluminum or brass utensils" means tools made from aluminum 20
or brass such as knives, forks, spoons, spatulas, and similar tools 21
used for preparing, serving, or eating food, unless completely 22
enclosed by stainless steel or a surface coating permitted by the 23
federal food and drug administration. "Aluminum or brass utensils" do 24
not include parts and accessories of appliances. 25
(4) "Cookware testing methods" means government accepted testing 26
methods for evaluating the safety of aluminum or brass cookware, 27
utensils, or components including, but not limited to, methods 28
published in the United States food and drug administration elemental 29
analysis manual for food and related products as it existed on 30
December 19, 2025, or methods described in the European directorate 31
for the quality of medicines & health care technical guide, as it 32
existed on December 19, 2025, for assessing metals and alloys in 33
contact with food.34
(5) "Department" means the Washington state department of 35
ecology. 36
(((5))) (6) "Manufacturer" means any person, firm, association, 37
partnership, corporation, governmental entity, organization, or joint 38
venture that produces a product or is an importer or domestic 39
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distributor of a product sold or offered for sale in or into the 1
state. 2
(((6))) (7) "Vulnerable populations" has the same meaning as 3
defined in RCW 70A.02.010. 4
Sec. 2. RCW 70A.565.020 and 2025 c 266 s 2 are each amended to 5
read as follows: 6
(1) ((Beginning January 1, 2026, no )) For aluminum or brass 7
cookware, aluminum or brass utensils, or an aluminum or brass 8
cookware component manufactured after December 31, 2025, the 9
following minimum standards apply:10
(a) No manufacturer may manufacture, sell, offer for sale, 11
distribute for sale, or distribute for use in this state aluminum or 12
brass cookware, aluminum or brass utensils, or an aluminum or brass 13
cookware component containing lead or lead compounds at a level of 14
more than: 15
(((a))) (i) 90 parts per million, beginning January 1, 2026; and16
(((b))) (ii) 10 parts per million, beginning January 1, ((2028)) 17
2030, unless the aluminum or brass cookware, aluminum or brass 18
utensils, or aluminum or brass cookware components are compliant with 19
cookware testing methods. The department may ask a manufacturer for a 20
test report to prove compliance for products covered under this 21
chapter. 22
(((2)(a))) (b) No retailer or wholesaler may knowingly sell or 23
knowingly offer for sale for use in this state aluminum or brass 24
cookware, aluminum or brass utensils, or an aluminum or brass 25
cookware component containing lead or lead compounds at a level of 26
more than: 27
(i) 90 parts per million, beginning January 1, 2026; and28
(ii) 10 parts per million, beginning January 1, ((2028)) 2030, 29
unless the aluminum or brass cookware, aluminum or brass utensils, or 30
aluminum or brass cookware components are compliant with cookware 31
testing methods. The department may ask a manufacturer for a test 32
report to prove compliance for products covered under this chapter.33
(((b))) (2) Retailers or wholesalers who unknowingly sell 34
products that are restricted from sale under this chapter are not 35
liable under this chapter. 36
(((c))) (3) The sale or purchase of any previously owned aluminum 37
or brass cookware, aluminum or brass utensils, or aluminum or brass 38
cookware components containing lead made in casual or isolated sales 39
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as defined in RCW 82.04.040, or by a nonprofit organization, is 1
exempt from this chapter. 2
(((3))) (4) Aluminum or brass cookware, aluminum or brass 3
utensils, or aluminum or brass cookware components that were 4
manufactured on or before December 31, 2025, and are repaired or 5
replaced under warranty on or after January 1, 2028, are exempt from 6
the requirements in this chapter, as long as sold in compliance with 7
federal food and drug administration regulations at the time of sale.8
(5) After December 2030, the department, in consultation with the 9
department of health, may lower the 10 parts per million limit 10
established in subsection ((s (1) and (2))) (1)(a) and (b) of this 11
section by rule if it determines that the lower limit is:12
(a) Feasible for cookware and cookware component manufacturers to 13
achieve; and 14
(b) Necessary to protect human health, including the health of 15
vulnerable populations. 16
(((4))) (6) Nothing in this chapter limits the authority of the 17
department with respect to lead in cookware, cookware components, or 18
utensils under chapter 70A.350 RCW. 19
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