What is Proposition 65?
Southern Lamps is committed to conducting its business in a socially responsible and ethical manner consistent with applicable national and local laws.
Proposition 65 is a California law that applies to any products sold in California. The official name of Proposition 65 is the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986. This Act requires a warning on all products sold in California containing one or more of the 900 chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects and reproductive harm. The list is maintained by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), and can be found online at www.oehha.ca.gov/proposition-65/proposition-65-list . These chemicals can be in the products Californians’ purchase, in their homes or workplaces, or released into the environment.
A Proposition 65 warning does not mean that a product is in violation of any product safety standards or requirements. Proposition 65 warnings are intended to allow employees or consumers to take precautions handling the products and be aware they are exposed to that potentially hazardous chemicals.
A Proposition 65 warning means that the business evaluated the exposure of harmful chemicals or has chosen to provide a warning simply based on their knowledge about the presence of a listed chemical without attempting to evaluate the exposure.
For more information directly from California Prop-65 website, visit link: Proposition 65 Warnings Website.
Mercury in UV lamps
When electricity enters the lamp, mercury vapours inside the lamp produce UV light. UV lamps contain very small amounts of mercury.
When the lamp is broken, the mercury fumes are released and disperse rapidly when the room is ventilated, the mercury in lamp fumes will have diluted enough that it is no longer pose any health risk. Even if there is only a small amount of mercury, it is still important to follow the proper cleaning and disposal guidelines for a broken UV lamp.
- DO NOT use bare hands to clean up the broken glass (wear disposable plastic gloves)
- DO air out the room
- DO NOT use a vacuum cleaner, to avoid the spread of chemicals
- DO NOT use the disposable material such us cardboard or paper to scoop up broken pieces
- DO dispose of all clean-up equipment in a sealed container
- DO NOT place the broken lamp in recycling bins for waste
- DO check with your local government about disposal rules in your area
Southern Lamps carries Mercury Spill Kits, which can be used for safe clean-up.