California Proposition 65 Information

STATEMENT

California's Proposition 65 entitles California consumers to special warnings for products that contain chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm if those products expose consumers to such chemicals above certain threshold levels. We care about our customers' safety and hope that the information below helps with your buying decisions.

WE ARE PROVIDING THE BELOW WARNING FOR PRODUCTS LINKED TO THIS PAGE:

WARNING: Consuming this product can expose you to chemicals including Lead, which is known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/food.

WHAT IS THIS WARNING?

California Prop 65 (The Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986) requires businesses to provide warnings to Californians about possible exposure to chemicals that cause cancer, birth defects, or any reproductive harm.

This list of chemicals is updated every year by the state of California and has grown to include more than 800 chemicals since it was first published in 1987. The list encompasses a variety of chemicals found in common household products, drugs, food additives, or any chemicals that are released into the environment.

The proposition requires that any company with 10 or more employees selling to Californians warn consumers if a product contains more than the Prop 65-allowed limits of any of the chemicals listed.

HOW ARE THESE WARNINGS DETERMINED?

California has a formal process for adding chemicals to the Prop 65 list. Prop 65 allows chemicals to be listed in various ways, including through reports that are based on animal studies. In many instances, these animal studies involve extremely high dosages of chemicals.

WHAT KINDS OF SUBSTANCES ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?

Many dietary supplements contain substances that require a warning in California. One vitamin that requires a warning above a certain level is Vitamin A. Incidental contaminants such as lead and mercury also require warnings above a certain level, even if they are not added intentionally to a product.

UNDERSTANDING PROP 65 LABELS ON YOUR PRODUCTS

The goal of mandatory Prop 65 language is to protect consumers. Many products, byproducts of manufacturing, and things like vehicle exhaust do contain harmful levels of contaminants like heavy metals.

While these protections have consumer’s health in mind, it’s important to note that heavy metals like lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury do occur naturally in soil and water — even in the most pristine environments.

As a plant grows, it pulls nutrients from the soil and water, including trace amounts of some naturally occurring heavy metals. In other words, the most natural, organic foods in the world will test above Prop 65 limits.

WHAT ARE THE PROP 65 LIMITS?

Prop 65 includes safety limits that are lower than any other system in the world, including Europe’s.

A safe approach to harmful contaminants is important, but setting such a low threshold for naturally-occurring heavy metals excludes an entire range of health-promoting foods and supplements — including most fruits and vegetables.

For example, the California Proposition 65 reproductive limit for Lead is 0.5 mcg per day, while the World Health Organization’s Lead limit is 10 mcg per day and the NSF International limit is 20 mcg per day.

HOW DO THE CALIFORNIA WARNINGS COMPARE TO FEDERAL LIMITS?

It should be noted that California product label warning requirements are not usually the same as federal safety requirements. This causes a mismatch between warnings on products sold in California and what is required elsewhere in the U.S.A. So this can explain why sometimes you may see a California Prop 65 warning on a product sold in California but no warning on the same product sold elsewhere. The products are not different; it’s just that Prop 65 warnings are required for sales to California consumers. Additionally, there are various substances that require a California Prop 65 warning at levels that are far more stringent than federal action limits. One example is lead. The Prop 65 standard for warnings for lead is 0.5 micrograms per day, which is far more stringent than federal and international standards for lead.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CANCER AND REPRODUCTIVE TOXICITY?

A chemical listed under Prop 65 as a carcinogen has been shown (often in laboratory animal studies) to cause cancer. A chemical listed under Prop 65 as a reproductive toxin has been shown (again, often in laboratory animal studies) to cause male or female reproductive toxicity or developmental toxicity. These tests are often performed with very high doses of chemicals.

DOES THIS LAW APPLY EVERYWHERE?

Mandatory Prop 65 language only applies to California consumers. Every other state complies with much higher federal limits and most other countries adhere to international limits from the World Health Organization.

However, it doesn’t make sense to make and ship separate packaging for California consumers only, so most food and supplement companies print the warning on every product that goes out.

SHOULD I BE CONCERNED?

You should always be aware and take heed of all product warnings. Does a Prop 65 warning mean that the product will actually cause cancer or other reproductive harm when the product is used in its typical way? Not necessarily. The listing of a chemical under Prop 65 could be the result of tests on laboratory animals. Prop 65 standards for warnings are often very stringent. For example, for reproductive toxicants, the level for warnings is 1000 times lower than the lowest level at which animal studies reported no reproductive health effect. A Prop 65 warning does not automatically mean that the product is unsafe.

WHY DON’T ALL SIMILAR PRODUCTS CARRY THE WARNING?

There could be a variety of reasons. If a company has been involved in a Prop 65 lawsuit, and if that company reaches a settlement, that settlement may require Prop 65 warnings for products. Other companies that are not involved in the settlement, although they may nonetheless sell similar products, may not provide a warning on their product. Because of inconsistent Prop 65 enforcement, this sometimes explains why you will see certain products in the market with warnings, and virtually identical products without warnings. Other companies may elect not to provide warnings because, in their assessment, they conclude that they are not required to do so under Prop 65 standards. A lack of warnings for a product does not necessarily mean that the products are free of the same substances at similar levels.

WHICH H.V.M.N. PRODUCTS REQUIRE THE PROP 65 WARNING?

• Matcha MCT Oil Powder
• Matcha Keto Collagen+

H.V.M.N.'S COMMITMENT TO YOUR HEALTH

Our first priority is to ensure the safety and well-being of our customers. As such, our products will only ever contain ingredients that are FDA and WADA compliant.

We are committed to transparency. We do not use proprietary blends or obscure ingredients. We always state exact ingredients, amount, and purity backed by 3rd party certificates of analysis (COA’s) to validate that the products have been tested and match the labels (learn how to request a COA for your product here).

We are committed to providing you with the very best in quality and purity. From choosing the most trustworthy ingredients and rigorous third-party testing to ensuring you’re always getting the best low-carb and metabolically healthy products possible.

For any questions regarding California’s Prop 65 or quality testing, please reach out to care@hvmn.com.