What is California Prop 65?

California’s Proposition 65 is also known as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act and was enacted in 1986.  It requires businesses to provide warning labels on products about exposure to chemicals that could cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm. By putting warning labels on these products, it was intended to help  Californians make informed purchasing decisions to help protect themselves from these harmful chemicals that may be found in traces of ingredients in products.

 

Labels Required By Proposition 65:

As part of the law, businesses that are selling products to consumers in California must provide  clear and reasonable warnings on the labels before knowingly exposing people to any chemical on the list. “The law defines “no significant risk” as a level of exposure that would cause no more than 1 extra case of cancer in 100,000 people over a 70-year lifetime. So a compound can be unlabeled if a person exposed to the substance at the expected level for 70 years is estimated to have a 1 in 100,000 chance or less of getting cancer due to that exposure. The law also has similar strict cutoff levels for birth defects and reproductive harm.” – according to cancer.org

 

What Types of Chemicals are on the Proposition 65 List?

There is a wide range of naturally occurring and synthetic chemicals on the list that include additives or ingredients in pesticides

 

Where can I Find More Information on California Proposition 65?

 https://oag.ca.gov/prop65(link is external),

P65.Questions@oehha.ca.gov(link sends e-mail),

or by phone at (916) 445-6900.