(1) The director shall administer and enforce the provisions of this chapter and any rules adopted under this chapter. All authority and requirements provided for in chapter 34.05 RCW apply to this chapter in the adoption of rules.

(2) The director may adopt appropriate rules for carrying out the purpose and provisions of this chapter, including but not limited to rules providing for:

(a) Definitions of terms;

(b) Determining standards for labeling and registration of commercial fertilizers;

(c) The collection and examination of commercial fertilizers;

(d) Recordkeeping by registrants and licensees;

(e) Regulation of the use and disposal of commercial fertilizers for the protection of groundwater and surface water; and

(f) The safe handling, transportation, storage, display, and distribution of commercial fertilizers.

(3)(a) Standards are established for allowable levels of nonnutritive substances in commercial fertilizers. These standards are Canadian figures for agricultural and agri-food Canadian maximum acceptable cumulative metal additions to soil established under Trade Memorandum T-4-93 dated August 1996. Washington application rates shall be used to ensure that the maximum acceptable cumulative metal additions to soil are not exceeded.

(b) If federal or other risk-based standards are adopted or scientific peer-reviewed studies show that the standards adopted in this section are not at the appropriate level to protect human health or the environment, the department, in consultation with the departments of ecology and health, may initiate a rule making [may adopt a rule] to amend these standards.

Short title—1998 c 36: See note following RCW 15.54.265.

Construction—Severability—1987 c 45: See notes following RCW 15.54.270.