California Proposition 65.docx
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California Proposition 65.docx
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CaliforniaProposition65
CaliforniaProposition65(1986)
ElectionsinCalifornia
Proposition65(formallytitled"TheSafeDrinkingWaterandToxicEnforcementActof1986")isaCalifornialawpassedbydirectvoterinitiativein1986bya63%-37%margin.Itsgoalsaretoprotectdrinkingwatersourcesfromtoxicsubstancesthatcausecancerandbirthdefectsandtoreduceoreliminateexposurestothosechemicalsgenerally,forexampleinconsumerproducts,byrequiringwarningsinadvanceofthoseexposures.ItisadministeredbyCal/EPA'sCaliforniaOfficeofEnvironmentalHealthHazardAssessment(OEHHA),whichmaintainsahelpfulwebsite[1]onthelaw.Proposition65regulatessubstancesofficiallylistedbyCaliforniaascausingcancerorbirthdefectsorotherreproductiveharmintwoways.ThefirstregulatoryarmofProposition65prohibitsbusinessesfromknowinglydischarginglistedsubstancesintodrinkingwatersources,orontolandwherethesubstancescanpassintodrinkingwatersources.ThesecondregulatoryarmofProposition65prohibitsbusinessesfromknowinglyexposingindividualstolistedsubstanceswithoutprovidingaclearandreasonablewarning.
Sinceenactment,Proposition65hasbeenthereasonforreformulationofnumerousconsumerproductstoeliminatetoxicchemicalscoveredbyProposition65,aswellasothersignificantchangestoreduceexposuressuchastoxicairemissions[2].Insomecasesconsumerproductshavebeenrelabeledtoshowspecifictoxicingredients,butreformulationhasbeenfarmorecommon.Anofficiallistofcoveredsubstancesismaintainedandmadepubliclyavailable.Entriesareaddedorremovedbasedoncurrentscientificinformation.Allsubstanceslistedshowtheirknownriskfactors,auniqueCASchemicalclassificationnumber,thedatetheywerelisted,and,ifso,whethertheyhavebeendelisted.
Proposition65remainedpoliticallycontroversial[3]forwelloveradecadeafteritpassed,inlargepartbecause,ineffect,itputtheburdenofproofonbusinessinsteadofgovernmenttomakeakeyscientificdeterminationaboutsafetylevelsforspecificchemicals.[4]Thisuniqueshiftgavebusinessesanincentivetocooperatewithgovernmentinsettingexposurelimitstospecificchemicals.WhentheCaliforniaEnvironmentalProtectionAgencyconductedafive-yearreviewofthelawin1992,itfoundthat"Byfederalstandards,Proposition65hasresultedin100yearsofprogressintheareasofhazardidentification,riskassessment,andexposureassessment."[5]
[edit]Rationaleandenumeratedrights
InadditiontoamendingtheCaliforniaHealthandSafetyCode,Proposition65containedthefollowinglanguageinthe1986ballotinitiative:
"SECTION1.ThepeopleofCaliforniafindthathazardouschemicalsposeaseriouspotentialthreattotheirhealthandwell-being,thatstategovernmentagencieshavefailedtoprovidethemwithadequateprotection,andthatthesefailureshavebeenseriousenoughtoleadtoinvestigationsbyfederalagenciesoftheadministrationofCalifornia'stoxicprotectionprograms.Thepeoplethereforedeclaretheirrights:
(a)Toprotectthemselvesandthewatertheydrinkagainstchemicalsthatcausecancer,birthdefects,orotherreproductiveharm.
(b)Tobeinformedaboutexposurestochemicalsthatcausecancer,birthdefects,orotherreproductiveharm.
(c)Tosecurestrictenforcementofthelawscontrollinghazardouschemicalsanddeteractionsthatthreatenpublichealthandsafety.
(d)Toshiftthecostofhazardouswastecleanupsmoreontooffendersandlessontolaw-abidingcitizens.
Thepeopleherebyenacttheprovisionsofthisinitiativeinfurtheranceoftheirrights."[6]
TheLegislature's2003amendmentstoProposition65containedthestatementthatthechanges"furtherthepurposesoftheSafeDrinkingWaterandToxicEnforcementActof1986."[7]
[edit]Enforcement
EnforcementiscarriedoutthroughcivillawsuitsagainstProposition65violators.TheselawsuitsmaybebroughtbytheCaliforniaAttorneyGeneral,anydistrictattorney,orcertaincityattorneys(thoseincitieswithapopulationexceeding750,000).Lawsuitsmayalsobebroughtbyprivateparties"actinginthepublicinterest",butonlyafterprovidingnoticeoftheallegedviolationtotheAttorneyGeneral,theappropriatedistrictattorneyandcityattorney,andthebusinessaccusedoftheviolation.
AProposition65NoticeofViolationmustprovideadequateinformationtoallowtherecipienttoassessthenatureoftheallegedviolation.Anoticemustcomplywiththeinformationandproceduralrequirementsspecifiedinregulations.AprivatepartymaynotpursueanenforcementactiondirectlyunderProposition65ifoneofthegovernmentofficialsnotedaboveinitiatesanactionwithinsixtydaysofthenotice.After2003,privateenforcersmustalsoserveacertificateofmerit(statementofexpertconsultation(s)supportingbeliefofreasonableandmeritoriousprivateaction)asameansofpreventingfrivolousenforcementactions.
AbusinessfoundtobeinviolationofProposition65issubjecttocivilpenaltiesofupto$2,500perdayforeachviolation.Inaddition,thebusinessmaybeorderedbyacourtoflawtostopcommittingtheviolation.[8]Otherpenaltiesmayapply,includingunfairbusinesspracticesviolationsaslimitedunderCaliforniaProposition64(2004).
[edit]Warninglabel
ThefollowingwarninglanguageisstandardonproductssoldinCaliforniaiftheycontainchemicalsontheProposition65listandtheamountofexposurecausedbytheproductisnotwithindefinedsafetylimits.
WARNING:
ThisproductcontainschemicalsknowntotheStateofCaliforniatocausecancerandbirthdefectsorotherreproductiveharm.
Thewordingcanbechangedasnecessary,solongasitcommunicatesthatthechemicalinquestionisknowntothestatetocausecancer,orbirthdefectsorotherreproductiveharm.Forexposuresfromothersources,suchascarexhaustinaparkinggarage,astandardsignmightread:
"ThisareacontainschemicalsknowntotheStateofCaliforniatocausecancer,orbirthdefectsorotherreproductiveharm".[9]
Somebusinessesinthestatepostsimilarnoticesontheirpremises,evenwhentheyhavenotevaluatedtheactuallevelofriskfromalistedchemicaltheyknowispresent.[10]Warningsignsareoftenpostedatgasstations,[11]hardwaresuppliers,[12]grocerystores,drugstores,medicalfacilities,andmanyotherbusinesses.[13][14]Governmentagencies,[15]parkinggarages,hotels,[14]apartmentcomplexes,[16]retailstores,[17]banks,andrestaurants[18]alsopostwarningsignsbecauseofthepossibilityofhazardouschemicalsbeingpresentineverydayitemsorthenearbyenvironment.Somelargebusinesses,suchasutilitycompanies,mailaProp65noticetoallcustomerseachyeartowarnthemofdangeroussubstanceslikenaturalgas[19]orthesandusedinsandblasting.[20]
Thereisnopenaltyforpostinganunnecessarywarningsign.[21]Becauseoftheoveruseofthevaguewarning,theubiquitoussignsultimatelycommunicateverylittleinformationtotheenduser.[11][22]ThisproblemhasbeenrecognizedbyCaliforniacourts,[23][24]advocates,[11][25]andbusinesses.[14]
[edit]Abuse
Politicalcontroversyoverthelaw,includingindustryattemptstohaveitpreemptedbyfederallaw,havedieddown.However,enforcementactionsremaincontroversial.MostoftheProposition65complaintsarefiledonbehalfofstrawmanplaintiffsbyprivateattorneys,someofwhosebusinessesarebuiltentirelyonfilingProposition65lawsuits.[23][26][27]
Labelingrequirementsconcededtherealitythatlistingandclassifyingsubstancesdidnothelptheconsumerifthecontentsofapurchasewereunknown.Atthesametime,therewerenootherlabelingrequirementstosupporttheproposition.IndustrycriticsandcorporatedefenselawyerschargethatProposition65is"acleverandirritatingmechanismusedbylitigiousNGOsandotherstopubliclyspankpoliticallyincorrectopponentsrangingfromtheAmericangunindustrytoseafoodretailers,etc."[28]
Inaddition,becausethelawallowsprivatecitizenstosueandcollectdamagesfromanybusinessviolatingthelaw,therehavebeencasesoflawyersandlawfirmsusingProposition65toforcemonetarysettlementsoutofCaliforniabusinesses.[29]TheAttorneyGeneral'sofficehascitedseveralinstancesofsettlementswhereplaintiffattorneysreceivedsignificantawardswithoutprovidingforenvironmentalbenefittothepeopleofCalifornia,resultingintherequirementoftheAttorneyGeneral'sapprovalofpre-trialProposition65settlements.[30]TheAttorneyGeneralalsoobjectedtoeffortsinsettlementsbetweenprivatepartiestopre-empttheAttorneyGeneral'srightanddutytoprotectthepublicinterestagainstfutureviolations.[23]
[edit]Seealso
∙Californiaballotproposition
∙Environmentalism
∙Toxicity
∙Pollution
[edit]References
1.^[1]
2.^The"Prop.65Kit"[2]bytheEnvironmentalDefenseFundincludesashortsummaryofthelaw'seffects(see"TrackRecord")aswellasitshistory,controversies,andindustryattemptstoeliminateit.
3.^SeeProp.65Kit,above.
4.^Ifa"nosignificanteffect"levelhasbeenestablishedforacancer-causingchemicallistedunderProp.65,thennowarningisrequiredaslongastheactualexposureisbelowthatlevel.Butitisuptothebusinesscausingtheexposuretoknowwhatthatlevelis,andtodothescientificanalysisifgovernmenthasnotalreadydoneso.
5.^Unpublishedreport,reproducedinoriginalformas"AccomplishmentsSummary"intheProp.65Kit[3]
6.^Prop.65ballotpamphletfulltextavailableatHastings'CaliforniaBallotMeasuresDatabases
7.^AB1756of2003
8.^CaliforniaCleanersbreakingnews
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