California’s Proposition 65 – Warning Statement

What is this warning?

The warning statement that can be found on certain Master Lock products is specific to a U.S. state of California law, Proposition 65.

What is Proposition 65?

Proposition 65 was enacted in 1986 by the State of California and is known as a "right to know" statute. It requires companies to provide "clear and reasonable" warnings to consumers if their products contain a chemical determined by the State to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity. The law governs extremely low levels of chemicals and is among one of the most stringent reporting laws in the country. The presence of these low levels of chemicals necessitates warnings only and does not ban the sale or use of these products.

A Proposition 65 label does not mean a product is in violation of any product-safety standards or requirements. When a manufacturer includes a Proposition 65 warning notice on a product it does not mean the product is unsafe. Rather, the notice is intended to inform California consumers of the presence of a listed chemical so the consumer can make an informed decision when purchasing the product.

More than 800 chemicals are currently listed under Prop 65, many of which may be naturally present in the environment. You can view the full list by going to the State of California website.

I purchased this product outside of California; why it is included?

Master Lock is a global company and it would be extremely difficult and costly to determine which products will be ultimately sold or brought into California.  Therefore, to ensure compliance with Proposition 65 requirements, we have decided to include these warnings on products requiring a warning statement, regardless of its origin.