Material Warning Explanation

What does this Prop 65 warning mean?

⚠ WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including wood dust, which is known to the State of California to cause cancer. For more information, go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov

Naturally this is a warning that you might not expect to see when purchasing a custom picture frame for your home, office, or business. You may even find it worrying. However, if you live in the state of California, you will find this warning on items in your home or office, in coffee shops, hotels, and even theme parks.

This warning is the result of a law passed in California in 1986, referred to as the California Safe Drinking and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, or more commonly referred to as "Proposition 65".

Why does CustomPictureFrames.com include this warning?

Proposition 65 is a broad law that applies to any company operating in California, selling products in California, or manufacturing products that may be sold or brought into California. It orders that the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) 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 glues, dyes, cleaners, medications, food-additives, by-products of certain processes, and tobacco products. The intent of Proposition 65 have been routinely used in everyday consumer items for years without documented harm.

A warning must be given if a listed chemical is merely present in or on a product unless a business demonstrates that the exposure it causes poses "no significant risk". The "no significant risk" levels established under the law are very conservative. With respect to carcinogens, the "no significant risk" level is defined as the level which is calculated to result in less than one excess case of cancer in 100,000 individuals exposed over a 70-year lifetime.

The warning does not mean that our products actually will cause any harm. Moreover, a Proposition 65 warning does not mean a product is in violation of any product-safety standards or requirements. In fact, the California government has clarified that "the fact that a product bears a Proposition 65 warning does not mean by itself that the product is unsafe." The government has also explained, "You could think of Proposition 65 more as a 'right to know' law than a pure product safety law." oehha.ca.gov/prop65

We believe our products are not harmful when used as designed. We provide the warning in order to comply with this California right-to-know law.

I purchased this product and I do not live in California, why am I seeing this warning?

Our products are sold globally. It would be extremely demanding to regulate which products will be sold or brought into California. Therefore, to ensure compliance with Proposition 65 requirements, we have decided to include show these warnings to all savvy custom picture frame shoppers, regardless of location.

For more information about Proposition 65, visit: www.oehha.ca.gov/prop65