“I’ve been buying this product for years and now I noticed a new label…..”

“What is California Proposition 65? I don’t understand?.....”

Compac Industries is committed to safe innovative solutions to make your life easier. Recently, you may have seen the following warning associated with select Baby Buddy, HartFelt and Compac Home products, as well as on products purchased from other manufacturers:

WARNING: This product contains one or more chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.

WHAT IS THIS WARNING?

This warning is the result of a law passed in California in 1986 known as the California Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, commonly referred to as “Proposition 65.”

This warning does not mean that HartFelt, Baby Buddy or Compac Home products will necessarily cause cancer or reproductive harm. Furthermore, a Proposition 65 warning does not mean a product is in violation of any product-safety standards or requirements. To the contrary, the California government has clarified that “[t]he fact that a product bears a Proposition 65 warning does not mean by itself that the product is unsafe.” The California government has also explained, “You could think of Proposition 65 more as a ‘right to know’ law than a pure product safety law.”  

While we believe Baby Buddy, HartFelt and Compac Home products are not harmful when used as designed, we provide the warning as a result of this California law known as Proposition 65.

WHAT IS PROPOSITION 65?

Proposition 65 is broad law that applies to any company operating in California, selling products in California, or manufacturing products that might be sold in or brought into California. It mandates that the Governor of California maintain and publish a list of chemicals that are known to cause cancer, birth defects, and/or other reproductive harm. The list, which must be updated annually, includes a wide variety of chemicals that can be found in many everyday items, such as dyes, solvents, drugs, food-additives, by-products of certain processes, pesticides and tobacco products. The purpose of Proposition 65 is to ensure that people are informed about exposure to these chemicals.

Proposition 65 also requires warnings to be placed on any product, product packaging, or literature accompanying a product that contains or may contain any of the 900-plus chemicals that the California Air Resources Board considers harmful. As noted above, many of the items listed under Proposition 65 have been routinely used in everyday consumer goods for years without documented harm.

A warning must be given if the listed chemical is merely present in a product unless a business demonstrates that the exposure it causes poses “no significant risk.” With respect to carcinogens, the “no significant risk” level is defined as the level that is calculated to result in not more than one excess case of cancer in 100,000 individuals exposed over a 70-year lifetime. In other words, if you are exposed to the chemical in question at this “no significant risk” level every day for 70 years, theoretically, it will increase your chances of getting cancer by no more than 1 case in 100,000 individuals so exposed.

With respect to reproductive toxicants, the “no significant risk” level is defined as the level of exposure which, even if multiplied by 1,000, will not produce birth defects or other reproductive harm. In other words, the level of exposure is below the “no observable effect level,” divided by 1,000. (The “no observable effect level” is the highest dose level that has not been associated with observable reproductive harm in humans or test animals.)

WHY DOES COMPAC INDUSTRIES INCLUDE THIS WARNING?

The penalties for not complying with Proposition 65 are high. As a result of the potential penalties and because there is no penalty for providing an unnecessary warning, Compac Industries, as well as many other manufacturers, has chosen to provide the Proposition 65 warnings out of an abundance of caution in order to avoid the potential for liability.

I PURCHASED THIS PRODUCT OUTSIDE OF CALIFORNIA; WHY IS THIS WARNING INCLUDED?

Our products are sold nationwide. It would be extremely difficult and costly to determine which products will be ultimately sold or brought into California. Therefore, to ensure compliance with Proposition 65 requirements, we have chosen to include the Proposition 65 warnings on select products that require it, regardless of origin. For more information and explanation  about Proposition 65, please visit: http://oehha.ca.gov/prop65/background/p65plain.html

Prop 65 warning for California Residents: Warning:  These product contains chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer.
   Bear Pacifier Holder
   Smiley Pacifier Holder
   American Baby Pacifier Holder
   Universal Baby Pacifier Holder
   Bib Clip
   Facial Scrub
   Foot Scrub
   Body Scrub
   Oval Buff Pads
   Scrub Pad 16"x20"
   Bareback Scrubber Replacement Pads

Prop 65 Warning for California Residents:  Warning:  This product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.
   All Safe-T-Shape products

Prop Warning for California Residents: Not for Sale in the State of California
   Mighty Gripper