Have you recently purchased a product that came with a P65 Warning? Most P65 labels will say “This product can expose you to chemicals which are known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.”
Proposition 65 became law in the state of California in 1986. This law requires California to annually publish a list of chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects, or reproductive harm. Proposition 65 requires businesses to provide these warnings to Californians.
If you buy a product or food item that has a P65 warning label on it and you don’t live in California, that means that the product you are buying is more than likely sold to Californians and the business is required to have the P65 warning label on it.
If you need any further details about P65 Warnings, we recommend visiting their website.
The P65 website is operated by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment and provides information to the public about chemicals, products, and locations that are associated with P65 warnings.
California is required to update and publish a list of these chemicals each year. At this moment, there are approximately 900 chemicals on the list. You can view the P65 chemical list by clicking here.
Proposition 65 warnings are not just limited to physical goods and foods, it also prohibits California businesses from knowingly discharging significant amounts of chemicals into sources of drinking water.
What you need to know: P65 warnings allow Californians to make informed decisions about their exposure to chemicals that can cause cancer, birth defects, or reproductive harm.
Want to do more research about P65 warnings? Here are a few resources that might be helpful to you:
• PEScience: California Proposition 65 FAQ
• Loma Linda University Health: California’s cancer warnings: What are the real risks?
• Cancer.org: Cancer Warning Labels Based on California’s Proposition 65
• Newsweek: Here’s Why Everything Gives You Cancer in California
What other questions do you have about P65 warnings? Share it with us in the comments.
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