In 1986 California passed a law generally referred to as “Proposition 65” or “Prop 65,” that is actually named the California Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986.
Proposition 65 mandated warnings similar to this:
WARNING: This product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.
Since 1986 this warning has appeared on thousands of products sold nationwide.
Changes to Proposition 65
California recently passed a revision to Proposition 65 that changed the warning. This revision means that you will see more warnings on everyday products. It does not suddenly mean that these products will definitely cause cancer or reproductive harm. It does not suddenly mean these products violate Federal or State product safety standards or requirements.
Proposition 65 lists a wide variety of chemicals, including chemicals found in many everyday products. There are over 900 chemicals currently on the list. Proposition 65 requires that a warning be given unless a manufacturer can demonstrate that exposure to even a trace amount of one of these chemicals in a product causes “No Significant Risk” for chemicals listed as causing cancer and below a “Maximum Allowable Dose Level” for chemicals listed as causing reproductive toxicity. These levels are set low. For carcinogens, this level is defined as causing a lifetime cancer risk of 1 in 100,000 for an adult over a lifetime. For chemicals causing reproductive harm, this level is defined as one thousandth of a dose that shows no observable effect.
Why do Stiebel Eltron products have a Prop 65 warning?
The recent revision to Proposition 65 has resulted in Stiebel Eltron adding a Prop 65 warning to all of our products. Proposition 65 requires that all products sold or brought into the State of California have a Prop 65 warning. All products sold by Stiebel Eltron in the U.S.A. will carry a Prop 65 warning because it is impossible for us to label only goods actually brought into California.
The Prop 65 warning means that at least one of the chemicals listed in Proposition 65 may be present in trace amounts in our products. These chemicals in our products are part of our normal manufacturing process. There are no large quantities of these chemicals included in, or shipped with, our products. This Prop 65 warning does not mean that suddenly our products will cause cancer or reproductive harm. This Prop 65 warning does not mean that any product is in violation of any product safety standards or requirements.
More information from the State of California on Proposition 65 can be found at https://oehha.ca.gov/proposition-65/about-proposition-65.
