[Law] California Proposition 65

About California Proposition 65

The first time you hear about "California Proposition 65", you must feel very unfamiliar with it. You must think that this bill should be a local bill and has nothing to do with us who are 10,931 kilometers away. But on the contrary, as long as the relevant parts are manufactured in Taiwan, they will have a lot to do with shipping to California. Here we will briefly understand the content of this bill.

"California Proposition 65" is the California Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act. Its official name began in 1986 and its English abbreviation is Prop 65 or CP 65. The bill lists about 960 chemicals "known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive toxicity". The list is updated at least once a year and has requirements for enforcement labeling and exposure assessment. This law applies to all consumer products sold and distributed in California, including textiles, footwear, durable consumer goods, DIY products, toys, juvenile products, stationery, electrical/electronic products, and more.

The Act has been amended several times, and the New Warning Regulation was passed on August 30, 2016 and came into effect on August 30, 2018. The Proposition 65 program is administered by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA). OEHHA is part of the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA).

Impact on Taiwan's industries

If products manufactured by Taiwanese manufacturers are sold to California and contain hazardous chemicals listed in California Proposition 65, they must be labeled with warning messages in accordance with regulations, otherwise they will face legal risks. In fact, this bill is not only aimed at Taiwan. As long as the goods enter the California market, regardless of their origin or whether they are sold directly to consumers, as long as the manufacturer or importer finally enters the state's market, they must comply with the regulations.

Related products that actually affect

We have listed the possible product categories and possible harmful substances as follows:

References: California Proposition 65 List (Updated on January 3, 2025)

Completion

If Taiwanese manufacturers or importers hope to export their products to California smoothly, they should always pay attention to and comply with the requirements of California Proposition 65 to ensure that their products comply with the requirements of the bill in order to avoid legal risks and protect consumer health.