CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65 FAQs

You may see a California Proposition 65 warning on a CABINZERO product page, label or packaging. These FAQs explain why the warning appears, what it means and where to find more information.

What is Proposition 65?

Proposition 65, officially known as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, is a California law that generally requires businesses to provide clear warnings before exposing people in California to chemicals listed as causing cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm. California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) maintains and regularly updates a list of more than 900 chemicals. Warning requirements depend on exposure, rather than a chemical’s presence alone. A warning is not required where a business can demonstrate that exposure is at or below the applicable safe harbour level. These warnings help you make informed decisions about the products you purchase and use, and whether to limit your exposure to listed chemicals. The law also restricts the discharge of listed chemicals into sources of drinking water.

Why does my CABINZERO product carry a warning?

Our warnings provide information about potential exposure to listed chemicals associated with a product’s materials or components. Please check the warning on the product page and its label or packaging for the chemical and risk relevant to your item. Whether a warning is required depends on exposure, rather than simply whether a chemical is present. An exposure assessment considers how the product is used, including the amount of a chemical someone may encounter and the frequency and duration of use.

Does a warning mean the product is unsafe?

A Proposition 65 warning does not, by itself, mean that a product violates other safety or health standards. It also does not provide a complete assessment of a product’s safety. The warning informs you about a chemical exposure concern. It does not specify the amount of exposure or predict an individual’s health outcome.

How does Proposition 65 differ from federal product safety requirements?

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) is a federal law covering product safety requirements, including lead limits for children’s products, restrictions on certain phthalates in children’s toys and childcare articles, and applicable testing and certification rules. Requirements vary by product category. For consumer products, Proposition 65 focuses on warnings about chemical exposure in California.

A chemical’s inclusion on its list does not, by itself, ban that chemical from products. Meeting an applicable federal chemical limit does not automatically remove a Proposition 65 warning obligation. Equally, providing a warning does not replace compliance with other applicable product safety requirements.

Which chemicals might be named in a warning?

California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) maintains the Proposition 65 chemical list, which is updated regularly. It includes naturally occurring and synthetic chemicals, including substances used in manufacturing and chemical processing. Depending on the product, a CABINZERO warning may identify:

• N,N-Dimethylformamide (DMFa): listed by California as causing cancer. Official chemical information.
• Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP): listed by California as causing cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. Official chemical information.

Different products may carry different warnings. Refer to your item’s warning for the information that applies to it.

What are safe harbour levels?

OEHHA publishes chemical-specific exposure benchmarks called safe harbour levels:

• No Significant Risk Levels (NSRLs) relate to chemicals listed as causing cancer.
• Maximum Allowable Dose Levels (MADLs) relate to chemicals listed as causing birth defects or other reproductive harm.

A warning is not required where a business can demonstrate that exposure is at or below the applicable safe harbour level. These are exposure benchmarks, rather than general limits on the chemical concentration in a material. Not every listed chemical has a published safe harbour level. Where none exists, a business causing exposure must generally provide a warning unless it can demonstrate that the exposure qualifies for an exemption under the law. This may require specialist scientific assessment.

Why might I see a warning outside California?

Products may share packaging across different markets, so a California warning can also appear on an item purchased elsewhere. Proposition 65’s warning requirements apply to exposures occurring in California.

What about similar products without a warning?

The absence of a warning does not establish that a product contains no listed chemicals. A product may cause exposure below the applicable warning threshold, or a warning may only be provided for products sold in California. A warning label alone is therefore not a reliable way to compare the safety or chemical content of different products.

Where can I learn more?

Visit www.P65Warnings.ca.gov for consumer information, or OEHHA’s Proposition 65 website for the chemical list, exposure benchmarks and regulations.