Skip to main content

KingCounty.gov is an official government website.

Official government websites use .gov
Website addresses ending in .gov belong to official government organizations in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Only share sensitive information on official, secure websites.
King County Logo

Duwamish Valley Youth Corps students get behind-the-scenes look at Haz Waste science

A woman holding a red cooking pot speaks to high school students in a science lab.

Our Haz Waste Program recently had the chance to host a group of students from the Duwamish Valley Youth Corps for a behind-the-scenes look at some of the science that helps protect people and the environment from toxic chemicals.

About 10 seniors visited King County’s Environmental Lab first, where they learned about the lab’s work testing for chemicals in the environment, including ongoing efforts to better understand PFAS, sometimes referred to as “forever chemicals.” After a question and answer session with staff and a tour of some parts of the facility, the students took a short walk over to our nearby Haz Waste Lab to see another side of the county’s work.

During the visit, our research team, Business Services Program (BSP) and Residential Services Program (RSP) staff shared how their work connects directly to protecting community health. Katie Fellows from the research team talked about some of the investigations they conduct to better understand where toxic chemicals show up in everyday products. For example, testing cookware to see whether metals like lead could potentially make their way into food.

“Unfortunately, you can’t tell just by looking at it,” Fellows explained to the students. While testing is often needed to know for sure, she noted that stainless steel and cast iron cookware tend to be safer options, while aluminum cookware can sometimes pose concerns. As a general rule of thumb, heavier cookware is often a safer bet.

Aesha Mokashi and Justin Meyer, health and environmental investigators with the Program, also talked about the work RSP and BSP does to help businesses reduce toxic chemicals. One recent example included helping about 30 dry cleaners transition to less-toxic detergents that are safer for workers, customers and the environment.

The visit offered students a chance to see how science, research, and partnerships with local businesses and the community all come together to reduce toxic exposures across King County.