PROPOSITION 65 WARNINGS – FAQs

I’m seeing warnings on some Redmond products. What do they mean?

Some of Redmond’s products are sold with the following statement warning that the product can expose you to a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.

⚠️ WARNING: Cancer and Reproductive Harm – www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.

These warnings are required by California’s Proposition 65 labeling law, which requires businesses to notify California consumers of the presence of chemicals on the Proposition 65 list under certain circumstances. Proposition 65 does not ban the sale of any products; it only requires warnings. You may have seen similar warnings on other foods and products, or in supermarkets, coffee shops, airports, hotels and restaurants. There are over 900 substances identified on the Proposition 65 chemical list, and new chemicals are added to the list every year.

Certain listed chemicals and elements are naturally occurring and are widely distributed throughout the environment in air, water, soil, rocks and natural clay (which is a key ingredient in some Redmond products). As a result, these types of chemicals and elements are often found in commonly eaten foods even though they are not intentionally added to the food.

Does a warning mean that the products aren’t safe?

Redmond is committed to selling products that are safe to use and that also comply with all applicable laws. California’s Proposition 65 is not a food or product safety law, but a notification law that uses very stringent standards to establish when notifications are required. Consistent with that conservative approach, Redmond provides Proposition 65 warnings. Although you should always take heed of warnings, the presence of a Proposition 65 warning does not necessarily mean that the product is unsafe. Redmond has no reason to believe that any of the items we sell are unsafe for use as intended.

But I’m not a California resident – why are there warnings on the product I purchased?

The distribution of products – whether Redmond products or any other product – can be very complex, with numerous distribution channels. It is not possible for Redmond, or most other companies, to control where their products ultimately are sold, especially with the continuing rise of e-commerce sites. For this reason, Redmond provides the Proposition 65 warning for all products, no matter where they are sold, even though the warnings are only intended for California customers.

Why don’t all similar products on the market carry the same warning?

Some manufacturers of similar products elect not to provide warnings, because they have concluded that they are not required to do so under Proposition 65. Other manufacturers take a different warning approach because of a small business exemption or risk tolerance.

Still confused?

You can find more detailed information on the website for the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) at www.oehha.ca.gov or visit www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.