What is Prop 65?

Prop65 is also known as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act – which was voted on and enacted into California law in 1986.

As a part of this law, California is required to identify and provide a list of chemicals that can be harmful and have been shown to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.

For businesses, this means they must alert Californians to the exposure of these chemicals in their products if present.

Currently, California has identified over 1,000 chemicals as potential carcinogens and reproductive toxins that must be disclosed under the Prop65 law. You can review and download a current list here.

These chemicals can be found throughout your everyday life in products such as:

• Household cleaning products
• Dyes
• Food ingredients
• Drugs
• Chemical solvents
• Etc.

If you live in California, it is highly likely that you are aware of Prop65 and how the standards of this law are far stricter than the national standards set by the FDA. Because of this, despite being safe and legal to sell based on the national standards, businesses are required to notify Californians if there is a minimum of one ingredient included in their product which may be harmful from their list and that it is above their “Safe Harbor” limits.

The “Safe Harbor” exposure level limits have been established by the state of California and are exponentially lower than the levels set by the FDA, EPA, and WHO. These levels have also been found to be even lower than what fruits, vegetables and grains contain naturally.

For more information regarding Prop65 and regulations, please go here