Plain English Breakdown
The bill requires the department to adopt regulations by January 1, 2028, but does not specify if these rules will be fully in place before the ban starts.
Safer Soap Act
Starting January 1, 2028, California will ban consumer hand soap and body wash containing certain ingredients like benzalkonium chloride.
What This Bill Does
- Prohibits manufacturing, selling, or distributing consumer hand soap and body wash with banned ingredients starting January 1, 2028.
- Requires manufacturers to register with the Department of Toxic Substances Control by July 1, 2028, pay a fee, and provide proof they follow the rules.
- Allows the department to request technical documentation from manufacturers to prove compliance.
- Creates a Safer Soap Act Fund in the State Treasury for penalties collected under this law.
- Makes it a crime to willfully stop or interfere with officials enforcing these laws.
Who It Names or Affects
- Manufacturers of hand soap and body wash sold in California
- Retailers who sell consumer soaps containing banned ingredients
- The Department of Toxic Substances Control, which must create rules to enforce the ban
Terms To Know
- Benzalkonium chloride
- A chemical substance listed as a prohibited ingredient in consumer soaps under this law.
- Department of Toxic Substances Control
- The state agency responsible for registering manufacturers and enforcing the new soap rules.
Limits and Unknowns
- This ban does not apply to soaps intended for use in health care facilities.
- Enforcement depends on whether there are enough funds in the Toxic Substances Control Account and if the Legislature approves spending money for it.
- The exact amount of the registration fee will be decided later by state regulations.