California Proposition 65
Our Commitment to Transparency
At Anima Mundi, our mission is to bridge ancient remedies to the modern world through vibrant, thoughtfully sourced botanical medicines.
Working with plants also means working with the living environments in which they grow. Soil, water, climate and geography are all part of a plant’s story. In the spirit of transparency, we want to explain why you may see a California Proposition 65 warning on certain Anima Mundi products and what that warning means.
A Proposition 65 warning does not necessarily mean that a product is unsafe, adulterated or in violation of federal safety standards. It means that the use of the product may result in exposure to one or more substances included on California’s Proposition 65 list at a level for which California requires a consumer warning.
For questions concerning a specific Anima Mundi product, please contact our Customer Care team.
What Is Proposition 65?
What Is Proposition 65?
California Proposition 65, formally known as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, is a California right-to-know law.
The law requires the State of California to maintain a list of chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm. This list currently includes more than 900 naturally occurring and synthetic substances.
Businesses selling products to people in California may be required to provide a clear and reasonable warning before exposing consumers to a listed substance, unless the anticipated exposure falls below an established safe-harbor level or the business can otherwise demonstrate that the exposure does not present a significant risk under Proposition 65.
These warning requirements are specific to California and also apply to products sold online to California residents.
Why Might a Botanical Product Carry a Warning?
Plants draw nourishment from the soil, water and air around them. This natural process allows plants to absorb the minerals and nutrients they need to grow.
It also means that botanical ingredients can contain trace amounts of substances that occur naturally or are widely present in the environment. These can include elements such as:
- Lead
- Cadmium
- Arsenic
- Mercury
These substances are not intentionally added to our herbs or formulas. They may be present in very small amounts because they occur naturally in the earth or are present within the broader environment in which plants are grown.
This can be true of conventional, organically grown and wildcrafted botanicals. Organic certification addresses agricultural practices and production methods. It does not mean that a plant’s natural growing environment is entirely free from every trace element.
Plants and Their Growing Environments
Anima Mundi works with organic, ethically grown and wildcrafted botanicals sourced from growers and communities.
Many of our ingredients come from small farms, rainforest regions and traditional growing communities. We value direct relationships with farmers and wildcrafters and carefully consider how our ingredients are grown, harvested, dried and handled.
Botanicals are agricultural materials. Their natural composition can vary according to the soil, location, weather, harvest and other environmental conditions surrounding each crop.
This connection to the earth is an essential part of plant medicine. It is also why botanical ingredients must be carefully evaluated as part of a responsible quality programme.
Detection Is Not the Same as Exposure
Modern laboratory methods can detect substances at extremely small concentrations.
The fact that a trace amount of a substance can be detected does not, by itself, determine whether a product presents a health risk. Proposition 65 generally considers the anticipated level of exposure associated with the normal use of a product, not simply whether a listed substance is detectable.
A product’s anticipated exposure may depend on:
- The concentration of the substance
- The recommended serving size
- How frequently the product is used
- The way the product is prepared or consumed
- The amount of the substance to which a person may be exposed
- The specific Proposition 65 threshold that applies
This distinction is particularly important for botanical ingredients, which are grown within complex natural environments rather than created as isolated manufactured substances.
Why Are California’s Standards Different?
Proposition 65 uses its own exposure standards and warning requirements. These standards may be substantially lower than thresholds or guidance used under other state, federal or international regulatory frameworks.
For example, California has established a Maximum Allowable Dose Level of 0.5 micrograms per day for lead in relation to reproductive toxicity.
This is a daily exposure threshold, rather than simply a concentration limit for the amount of lead within a product. Recommended serving size and normal product use must therefore be considered when assessing potential exposure.
As a result, a product may require a California Proposition 65 warning even when it complies with other applicable manufacturing and product safety standards.
What Does a Proposition 65 Warning Mean?
A Proposition 65 warning informs California consumers that using a product may expose them to one or more substances included on California’s list.
The warning is intended to give consumers information that can help them make their own purchasing and usage decisions.
A Proposition 65 warning does not automatically mean:
- The product is unsafe
- The product is contaminated
- The product has been recalled
- The product violates federal safety requirements
- A listed substance was intentionally added
- The product will cause cancer, birth defects or reproductive harm
- Every person using the product will experience the same level of exposure
California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment states that a Proposition 65 warning does not mean that a product violates safety or health standards.
Anima Mundi Herbals -Our Quality Commitment
We are deeply committed to the identity, integrity and quality of the botanicals used throughout the Anima Mundi apothecary.
Our products are created with botanical ingredients and are made without unnecessary fillers, binders or flow agents. Depending on the particular ingredient and product, our quality practices include the review and evaluation of:
- Botanical identity and authenticity
- Ingredient origin and sourcing
- Supplier documentation
- Certificates of analysis
- Microbiological quality
- Heavy metals
- Other relevant purity and quality specifications
- Finished-product requirements
Anima Mundi uses independent third-party laboratories as part of its testing and quality-control programme.
Laboratory testing helps us evaluate botanical ingredients and finished products against our specifications. It also provides us with documentation concerning the composition and quality of the products we create.
Because botanicals are natural agricultural materials, testing does not mean that every naturally occurring element will always be entirely absent or undetectable. It allows us to identify, evaluate and responsibly manage the natural variation that can occur between ingredients, growing regions, harvests and production lots.
Why Do Some Products Carry a Warning and Others Do Not?
Whether a Proposition 65 warning is required may depend on the particular product, its ingredients, recommended serving size, method of use and estimated exposure.
Anima Mundi offers many different forms of botanical products, including powders, teas, tonics, extracts, capsules, oils and topical preparations. Each product has its own ingredient composition and directions for use.
A warning determination for one product may therefore be different from the determination for another product.
Why Do Similar Products From Other Companies Not Have a Warning?
Different companies may use different ingredients, growing sources, serving sizes, laboratory methods and legal assessments.
Businesses may also take different approaches to Proposition 65 compliance. Some provide warnings broadly, while others rely on individual exposure assessments or other supporting information.
The absence of a warning on a similar product does not necessarily mean that the product contains no detectable amount of a Proposition 65-listed substance.
Why Can I See This Warning Outside California?
Proposition 65 is a California law, but customers outside California may also see its warnings on product packaging or websites.
Anima Mundi serves customers throughout the United States and internationally. It is not always practical to maintain entirely separate product packaging or website content solely for California.
Displaying this information more broadly helps ensure that California consumers receive the relevant warning before completing their purchase.
Does Organic Mean Completely Free From Heavy Metals?
No. Organic certification does not mean that a plant is completely free from every naturally occurring trace element.
Organic certification primarily addresses how ingredients are grown, handled and processed, including restrictions on certain pesticides, fertilisers and other agricultural inputs.
Plants may still absorb elements that naturally occur in soil and water. This can happen whether a plant is conventionally grown, organically cultivated or ethically wildcrafted.
We remain committed to organic and responsible sourcing because these practices support the integrity of the plants, the land and the communities that grow them. However, organic certification should not be interpreted as a guarantee that no naturally occurring element will ever be detectable.
Should I Stop Using a Product With a Warning?
The presence of a Proposition 65 warning does not automatically mean that a product is unsafe or that you should stop using it.
The warning is provided so that you can make an informed personal decision about potential exposure.
As with any botanical product, individual needs and sensitivities can vary. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking prescription medication, living with a health condition or have concerns about a particular ingredient, we recommend consulting a qualified healthcare practitioner before use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are heavy metals added to Anima Mundi products?
No. Anima Mundi does not intentionally add heavy metals to its botanical products.
Trace amounts may occur naturally or be environmentally present within agricultural ingredients. Plants may absorb these elements from the soil and water in which they grow.
Does a warning mean the product failed laboratory testing?
Not necessarily.
A Proposition 65 warning is based on California’s warning requirements and anticipated exposure thresholds. It does not, by itself, mean that a product has failed a laboratory test or violated another applicable product safety standard.
Does a warning mean the product exceeds an FDA limit?
Not necessarily.
Proposition 65 is a separate California law with its own chemical list, exposure thresholds and warning requirements. A product may require a California warning while still complying with applicable federal requirements.
Why is lead frequently mentioned in relation to botanical products?
Lead occurs naturally within the earth’s crust and can also be present in soil, air and water as a result of environmental activity.
Plants may absorb trace amounts as part of their normal growing process. California also maintains a particularly stringent reproductive-toxicity safe-harbor level for lead of 0.5 micrograms per day.
Are organic herbs exempt from Proposition 65?
No. Organic certification does not automatically exempt a product from Proposition 65.
The law contains provisions concerning certain naturally occurring substances in foods, but applying those provisions can require specific scientific evidence and documentation. A substance’s natural presence within a botanical ingredient does not automatically establish that an exemption applies.
Does Anima Mundi test its products?
Anima Mundi uses independent third-party laboratories as part of its testing and quality-control programme.
Testing requirements may vary according to the ingredient, product type and relevant quality specifications.
Why is the warning shown before I purchase?
Proposition 65 requires applicable warnings to be provided before exposure. For products sold online, the relevant warning must be available to California consumers before the purchase is completed.
Where can I learn more?
For official information about Proposition 65, the chemicals included on the list and what a warning means, please visit California’s official Proposition 65 Warnings website.
Official California Proposition 65 website: https://www.p65warnings.ca.gov/