California Proposition 65
When brass parts need a Prop 65 lead warning for California — and the lead-free grades that avoid the listing and meet NSF/ANSI 372.
At a glance
What is Proposition 65?
California Proposition 65 — formally the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 — requires businesses to give a "clear and reasonable" warning before knowingly and intentionally exposing anyone in California to a listed chemical above its safe-harbour level. It is administered by California's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA).
The Proposition 65 list, first published in 1987, has grown to roughly 900 chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive harm. Lead and lead compounds are on that list, so standard leaded free-machining brasses — such as CW617N (CuZn40Pb2, around 3% lead) and CW602N (around 2% lead) — contain a listed chemical and may trigger a warning obligation when finished parts are sold into California. The obligation rests with the business selling into California; Brassland supports it with alloy composition data and a compliance statement.
Compliance status by material
| Material | Lead content | Prop 65 (California sale) | Potable water (NSF 372 / AB 1953) |
|---|---|---|---|
| CW617N — CuZn40Pb2 | ~3% Pb | Warning may be required | Not lead-free |
| CW602N — CuZn36Pb2As (DZR) | ~2% Pb | Warning may be required | Not lead-free |
| CW724R — silicon brass | <0.1% Pb | No lead listing | Meets 0.25% weighted average |
| C11000 — ETP copper | None | No lead listing | Meets 0.25% weighted average |
Lead-free alternatives
For California potable-water applications, or where you simply want to avoid the lead listing, Brassland recommends CW724R silicon brass (under 0.1% lead by weight) or C11000 electrolytic copper. Both are suitable for drinking-water contact and meet the NSF/ANSI 372 weighted-average lead-content threshold of 0.25%, which is also the limit set by California's lead-free plumbing law, AB 1953. See the full brass alloy guide for machinability and property trade-offs.
Shipping Prop 65-compliant parts
Tell us the application
Let us know the part is bound for California and whether it contacts drinking water — that determines which rules apply.
Leaded or lead-free
Ship leaded brass with a compliant Prop 65 warning, or specify a lead-free grade (CW724R / C11000) that avoids the lead listing entirely.
Get your statement
We supply a Proposition 65 statement and material composition with the order — typically the same business day on request.
Common questions
Do brass parts need a Proposition 65 warning?
What is the lead-free route for California?
Is leaded brass banned in California?
What is the difference between Prop 65 and AB 1953?
Does Brassland provide a Proposition 65 statement?
Verify against the primary source
The regulatory data summarised on this page is cross-referenced against the publishers below. Always confirm requirements against the current published text before relying on this summary.
Last reviewed: June 2026 · maintained by the Brassland compliance team. Proposition 65 listings and safe-harbour levels are updated periodically; the official OEHHA text always prevails — verify current requirements at the source for contract-critical applications. This page is general guidance, not legal advice.
Need a Prop 65 statement?
Declarations, certificates and material composition — typically available the same business day.