Prop 65 Guide

Your Evidence-Based Guide to Prop 65

Dr. Meg Christensen is the physician founder of Interior Medicine, a non-toxic home resource built on her background in medicine, biochemistry, epidemiology, and clinical research.

Published August 3, 2026 | Updated August 3, 2026

What This Guide Covers

Table of Contents

Context matters: why both “Relax, everything has a warning” and “Oh no, avoid!” don’t work for Prop 65
Common Prop 65 warnings by material, what they might mean, and how much to avoid them

FYI: How and why I use the words non-toxic, chemical-free, toxin, and toxic

What does Prop 65 mean?

I use the words non-toxic, chemical, toxin and toxic, even though there is no agreed-upon definition of the term non-toxic, and that everything, even water, is made of chemicals, so nothing is truly chemical-free. Likewise, toxin refers to a natural substance like a plant poison or venom, whereas toxicant is a more accurate term for the chemicals in products that have a negative health impact. I recognize that something that is toxic does not automatically make it a health risk.

I choose to use these scientifically inaccurate words anyway purely for practical purposes, for now. This is because these words are currently the most culturally agreed-upon, descriptive, and accessible terms that allow people to find the information they’re looking for.

In short, “non-toxic” is shorthand for a complicated problem. I’ll update my terminology if this changes!

FYI: How and why I use the words non-toxic, chemical-free, toxin, and toxic

I use the words non-toxic, chemical, toxin and toxic, even though there is no agreed-upon definition of the term non-toxic, and that everything, even water, is made of chemicals, so nothing is truly chemical-free. Likewise, toxin refers to a natural substance like a plant poison or venom, whereas toxicant is a more accurate term for the chemicals in products that have a negative health impact. I recognize that something that is toxic does not automatically make it a health risk.

I choose to use these scientifically inaccurate words anyway purely for practical purposes, for now. This is because these words are currently the most culturally agreed-upon, descriptive, and accessible terms that allow people to find the information they’re looking for.

In short, “non-toxic” is shorthand for a complicated problem. I’ll update my terminology if this changes!