Proposition 65, also known as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act is a California law passed by direct voter initiative in 1986. Proposition 65 is intended to help Californians make informed decisions about protecting themselves from exposure to chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects and/or other reproductive harm. Proposition 65 requires the State to publish a list of these chemicals which now includes approximately 900 substances. The list, which must be updated annually, includes a wide variety of substances, such as dyes, solvents, drugs, food-additives, and by-products of certain processes. The list includes consumer products such as aspirin, essential nutrients such as selenium and vitamin A, and materials such as nickel, sawdust, and vinyl that can be found in many everyday items.
Businesses must provide a warning if any of the listed chemicals are present in their products unless they can demonstrate that the exposure does not exceed the “no significant risk level” requirement of Proposition 65.
Businesses post Proposition 65 warnings because they have either determined that chemicals present in their products would exceed the “no significant risk level”, or because they have chosen to provide a warning solely because of the presence of listed chemicals in the product without attempting to evaluate the exposure levels. Performing a risk assessment to evaluate whether a warning would be required would be beyond the resources available to most companies. MTI has elected to provide the warnings because it is aware that one or more of the listed chemicals may be present but has not performed the extensive studies that would be required to assess the exposure level. Although MTI’s products may pose a negligible exposure risk, we decided it would be prudent to provide the Proposition 65 warnings.
For further information about California’s Proposition 65, please visit https://www.p65warnings.ca.gov/.