The State of California’s Proposition 65, the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act, became law in November of 1986. Effective August 30, 2018, Proposition 65 has updated labeling requirements for businesses to notify consumers with “clear and reasonable” warnings of potentially hazardous chemicals present in products. Warning labels are required on all products that contain chemicals found on the state’s list of over 850 compounds and must specify that the product contains chemicals “known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.” Warning requirements are dependent on the anticipated level of exposure to the Proposition 65 chemicals, which result from the foreseeable uses of a product. The warning requirements will only apply if the foreseeable and intended uses of a product containing these chemicals are likely to result in exposures that exceed the “significant risk” or “observable effect” levels. A determination of “significant risk” or “observable effect” can only be made with full knowledge of the end uses and applications of the products.
Based upon Graphics Output (GO)’s current level of knowledge of our internal business operations and chemicals used, GO’s products do not require a Proposition 65 warning label. Nevertheless, GO does not control or have knowledge of the end uses or specific applications of our products by our customers, and therefore, cannot make any guarantee regarding the actual exposure levels to Proposition 65 chemicals. GO recommends customers review the Proposition 65 regulation to determine the appropriate methods for design and engineering of the customers’ own products and the requirements for compliance concerning Proposition 65. The decision to include or not include a Proposition 65 notice (label) must ultimately rest with the customer utilizing GO’s products.
Additional information concerning Proposition 65 can be found at the following web sites: https://www.p65warnings.ca.gov/ and http://www.oehha.ca.gov/prop65.html
Sharon Schiffbauer, VP of Operations