Oeeha has revised the new notice regulations requesting comments by June 6, 2016.
following is quoted from the Oehha site.
The The most significant changes are summarized below:
- In Section 25600(e) the term “fully” was removed. This provision is intended to be a statement of current law. Specifically, if a party to a court-ordered settlement or judgement complies with the order requiring a particular method or content for a warning, the warnings provided are clear and reasonable as a matter of law. Commenters asked that OEHHA clarify its intent that this provision is not intended to provide a new avenue for enforcement of the law through this provision.
- Section 25600(f) was moved from Section 25601(b) and slightly modified to clarify that businesses are free to provide a warning that is different from the safe harbor methods and content specified in Subarticle 2 as long as the warning complies with Section 25249.6 of the Act.
- Section 25600.1(c) was revised by removing the phrase, “but is not limited to” and adding the words, “company name, location of manufacture” as additional exceptions to the definition of “consumer information”.
- In Section 25600.1(e) the word “consumer” was added to clarify the type of product intended to be included.
- In response to several comments, section 25600.1(f) was revised to delete the words “medium, including but not limited to”, add the term “source, such as”, and add the phrase “or objects”, to better clarify the sources of exposure that should be identified in an environmental exposure warning.
- In Section 25600.2(a) the phrase, “to the extent practicable” was added to parallel the statutory requirement concerning adopting regulations concerning clear and reasonable warnings.
- Section 25601(b) (formerly numbered as subsection (c)) was revised to remove, “for which the person has determined a warning is required” and replaced with, “in the consumer product or affected area for which the warning is being provided” to clarify that the regulation does not impose any new testing or burden of proof requirements for a business. This regulation only applies where a business has already decided to provide a warning; it does not determine when a warning is required.
- Sections 25602(d) and 25607.1(c) were revised to better clarify the circumstances under which a warning must be provided in a language other than English.
- Based on several comments, clarifying changes were made for consistency throughout the regulation to terms that were being used inconsistently including “label”, “warning labels”, “warning materials” and “warning information”.
- The uniform resource locators (URLs) for the general warning content were shortened to “WWW.P65Warnings.ca.gov” for simplicity and consistency with the existing structure of the warnings website.
- In Section 25603(a)(2) and throughout the regulations the term, “such as” was replaced with “including” for the warning content in response to comments suggesting the word is more clear.
- Section 25603(a)(2)(E) was added to allow a business to provide a consumer product warning for a single chemical exposure, by allowing the business to delete the words “chemicals including” from the safe harbor warning content.
- Section 25604(a) was revised to ensure consistency in the format, structure and requirements for environmental warnings.
- Section 25605(a) was revised for readability and clarity. An example of the text of a compliant warning is as follows:
WARNING: Entering this area can expose you to chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, including asbestos, from construction debris. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov(link is external).
- Section 25605(a) was modified to allow a business to provide an environmental warning for a single chemical exposure.
- Section 25606(b) was added to clarify that occupational exposure warnings for chemicals that are not covered under subsection (a) can be provided using the methods and content requirements set out in the regulations for consumer product or environmental exposures.
- Section 25607.2(a)(4) was revised for consistency with the other consumer product warnings.
- Section 25607.2(a)(6) was added to allow a business to provide a food product warning for a single chemical exposure, by allowing the business to delete the words “chemicals including” from the safe harbor warning content.
- Section 25607.23(a)(3) the warning content for the amusement park tailored warning was revised to replace “[Name of one or more exposure source(s)]” with “Some areas or features” in consideration of the unique characteristics of environmental exposure scenarios in amusement parks. OEHHA intends to develop more information for its website concerning the most common sources of exposures, the chemicals that are likely to be present at amusement parks, and ways patrons can reduce or avoid exposures in order to supplement this warning, just as OEHHA plans to provide more detailed website information for all of the tailored warnings.
