California Proposition 65 is a consumer right-to-know act that requires businesses with more than 10 employees to warn California consumers and residents about products that contain harmful chemicals.
It’s an important act that protects the environment, and, at the same time, can lead to over-warning, as it doesn’t distinguish between tiny amounts (less than 0.10%) and larger amounts at full concentration.
The Mad Chandler, with fewer than 10 employees, is exempt from the warning and disposal laws of Prop 65. I think it’s important, however, to be transparent about what goes into our candles.
Some of our candles do contain chemicals on the Prop65 list, but they are from natural sources we consume regularly, such as nutmeg, pepper and citrus.
Here are the three main chemicals Mad Chandler candles share with the Prop65 list:
Myrcene: A terpene found in herbs and foods such as lemongrass, thyme, basil, parsley, cannabis, hops, and mangoes.
Eugenyl Methyl Ether: A natural consitutent of plants and spices, such as anise, nutmeg, mace, basil, blackberry essence, bananas, walnut, citrus, and black pepper.
Safrole: An oil made from natural sources, such as sassafras, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, and basil.
We carefully consider what goes into our candles and only use candle-safe fragrances and a high-quality parasoy wax. The finished products contain no BHA, BHT, BPA, phthalates, or parabens. In addition, we exclude chemicals from our products that are known to cause reproductive harm.
Usually, the amount of a Prop 65 ingredient in a raw material is less than 0.10%. The amount in a finished candle is even less.
How We've Decided to Handle Prop 65
In light of extensive research, in-depth soul-searching, very careful consideration, small-business laws, and recent concerns about public over-warning, I've decided not to include Prop65 labels on The Mad Chandler candles.
That said, I do want you to have access to the information if you’d like it.
If a candle contains an ingredient on the Prop 65 list, there will be a button on the product page that says “Prop 65” - click it to see those ingredients and their percentages in raw material. The actual amount in a candle is less than the amount listed.
If a product does not have Prop 65 disclaimer, it doesn’t contain any chemicals on the Prop 65 list.
I think this strikes a fair balance between getting you, the consumer, transparent info about what you’re consuming, and being careful not to over-warn the public about our products.
As always, if you have any questions about us or our candles, don’t hesitate to reach out to me at hello@madchandler.com.
- Cheri Colleen, The Mad Chandler
Recent Comments