What is California Proposition 65?

All businesses selling products in the state of California must comply with the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, commonly known as California Proposition 65. Our seasoned experts can help you achieve compliance and avoid costly recalls, complaints, and potential lawsuits. Leverage our experience in Proposition 65 testing to protect your business and your customers.

What is California Proposition 65?

California Proposition 65 is a law designed to protect the state’s residents and drinking water sources from toxic chemicals and to inform citizens about their exposure to such substances. The state maintains a list of over 950 natural and synthetic chemicalsknown to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.

Violations can lead to delays, lawsuits, fines, and recalls — all of which can be avoided through proper testing. Our Proposition 65 testing servicesevaluate your products against this list.

Although Proposition 65 does not explicitly banthe sale of products containing listed chemicals, it does requiremanufacturers to provide a "clear and reasonable" warningif chemical levels exceed designated safe harbor levels. If your product requires labeling, our experts will guide you through the process to ensure full regulatory compliancefrom start to finish.

What Does Our Proposition 65 Testing Cover?

Proposition 65 applies to all consumer productssold in California.

Our experts will test your products for listed chemicals and advise on how to achieve compliance with the regulation. We have specialized knowledge across a wide range of product categories, including but not limited to:

1. Apparel and Textiles

2. Footwear and Accessories

3. Eyewear

4. Toys and Children’s Products

5. Cosmetics and Beauty Products

6. Furniture

7. Electrical and Electronic Products

Proposition 65 Warning Label Requirements

California businesses or companies operating in California must provide a "clear and reasonable" warningbefore knowingly exposingany individual to chemicals listed under Proposition 65.

Warnings may take various forms, including:

1. Labels on consumer products

2. Signage in workplaces

3. Notices posted in rental housing units

Proposition 65 consumer product warnings must include:

1. The name of at least one listed chemical

2. The URL for the Proposition 65 warning websitemaintained by OEHHA

3. Text in the same size as other consumer informationon the package, and no smaller than 6-point font

4. A yellow triangular warning symbolwith a bold outline and a black exclamation pointin the center

5. The word "WARNING"in all capital letters and boldface, displayed at the same size as the warning symbol, immediately following the symbol

Timing Requirements:

1. Warnings must be provided within one yearof a new chemical being added to the Proposition 65 list.

2. For restrictions on discharging listed chemicals into sources of drinking water, businesses must comply within 20 monthsof the chemical’s listing.

Our Proposition 65 Testing Process

Your product will undergo a carefully designed testing process to ensure full compliance with relevant standards:

1. Review– Our toxicology experts will review the raw materials disclosed in your product and compare them against the Proposition 65 chemical list.

2. Assessment– If any chemicals of concern are found, a chemical assessment will be conducted to determine whether exposure levels exceed safe harbor levels under specific conditions.

3. Reporting– A detailed report will be generated. If unsafe levels of hazardous chemicals are detected, we will guide you through the labeling and corrective actions required to bring your product into compliance.

Our processes are continually updatedto keep pace with any changes to Proposition 65, including the addition of new chemicals to the list.