California Prop 65

Updated: June 2024

The California Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, also known as “Proposition 65,” requires businesses to provide warnings to Californians about significant exposure to certain chemicals that may cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm. The law defines “exposure” as “cause to ingest, inhale, contact via body surfaces or otherwise come into contact with a listed chemical.” Exposure may also result from contact with ambient or indoor air, drinking, standing or running water, soil or vegetation, or through inhalation, ingestion, or skin or other contact with the body, through employment or through general activities. Complete information about Proposition 65 may be found at https://oehha.ca.gov/proposition-65.

California is required to publish a list of these chemicals subject to Proposition 65; the list now contains approximately 900 chemicals, both naturally-occurring and synthetic. These chemicals may be ingredients or additives in many household products, food, drugs, dyes, pesticides, or solvents, and they may result from certain chemical processes, such as motor vehicle exhaust.

NTN Bearing Corporation of America (“NBCA”) does not believe that of our antifriction bearing products subject consumers to significant exposure in the vast majority of intended uses. However, the steel used in our products likely contains nickel and chromium, and our brass cages likely contain lead, each of which is a listed chemical. Additionally, phthalates, also listed, may be present in certain plastics. The vast majority of our products are used internally in machinery and other equipment and any normal contact exposure would not be significant.

However, in extraordinary handling, such as grinding, deburring, or welding, there may be some ambient exposure. Therefore, out of an abundance of caution, NBCA is providing the following warning to users of our products in California:

WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including lead and chromium, which are known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to https://www.p65warnings.ca.gov/.

NBCA is committed to complying with the laws of all jurisdictions in which we do business, to sustainable manufacturing, and to good corporate citizenship. If you have any questions about the information in this letter, please contact Diane MacDonald, Corporate Counsel, at dmacdonald@ntnusa.com.

Download PDF