CA PROPOSITION 65 & LEAD - FAQ

1. Question: What is this “Warning” on my hose?
   Answer: The state of California, under a law commonly known as “Prop 65”, requires manufacturers to put a warning on their products if they contain certain regulated substances and are sold in California. Since 2006 Colorite Plastics has voluntarily included this warning on products sold throughout the U.S., not just those sold in California.
                   
2. Question: What is Prop 65?
   Answer: Proposition 65 is the California Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986.
                    
3. Question: Why do you put the warning on the back of the package? Are you trying to hide it?
   Answer: The warning is in compliance with Proposition 65 and its labeling requirements.
                       
4. Question: If I buy a hose without this warning, does it mean it is ‘safe’?
   Answer: All of our products are ‘safe’ for their intended use. If ‘safe’ is interpreted to mean ‘drinking water safe’, then we would recommend that you purchase one of Colorite’s products
   intended for use with potable water: Colorite WaterWorks® Boat & Camper hose or Swan® Marine/Camper hose.
                    
5. Question: What substance is in your hose that puts it on the Prop 65 list?
   Answer: Lead is the chemical listed on the Proposition 65 list that is present in the typical garden hose and mandates the warning label. Lead is one of hundreds of chemicals on the list.
                  
6. Question: Why is this substance in the hose? What is its purpose?
   Answer: Lead is contained in the recycled plastic used in the garden hose, but it is not added deliberately by Colorite in the manufacture of its garden hoses. Lead is also a component of
   the brass used in the fittings on the ends of the hose and is necessary to make the brass malleable.
                       
7. Question: Does my hose contain lead? How much?
   Answer: Most garden hoses contain at least some trace quantity of lead due to the use of recycled plastic and the typical brass fittings. The quantity will vary depending on the plastic
   formulation used and the presence (or absence) of brass fittings.
                     
8. Question: Do all hoses contain lead?
   Answer: Most garden hoses contain at least some trace quantity of lead.
                
9. Question: Are there any ‘drinking water safe’ hoses? Do they contain lead? How much?
   Answer: Yes, Colorite offers specific products for handling potable water: Colorite WaterWorks® Boat & Camper hose or Swan® Marine/Camper hose. These hoses are manufactured
   with medical grade plastic resin and nickel-plated brass fittings in which the nickel plating prevents the lead from contacting the water.
                 
10. Question: Why can’t you use a ‘safe’ substance in the hose, instead of one on the list – is it more expensive?
    Answer: Lead is present in the plastic recycle stream, but Colorite is implementing a technology using virgin resin on the inner surface of the hose, thus preventing any lead leaching into
    the water transported through the hose. In brass, lead is an essential component to impart malleability to the metal. Colorite does not add lead as a raw material during its manufacture of
    garden hose.
                       
11. Question: Will I (my family, dog, etc) get sick (cancer, die, etc) if I drink from this hose, handle this hose, etc?
    Answer: We do not recommend that you drink from any garden hose. Garden hoses can come into contact with harmful chemicals sometimes used with nozzles and sprayers or chemicals used on lawns. Bacteria can also form on the inside of the hose because it is dark, damp and warm. If you drink from a garden hose, you risk ingesting any of these items, as well as
    insects.
                   
12. Question: Why would you knowingly put a toxic chemical into a product the public is exposed to?
    Answer: Lead is in the raw materials used to manufacture the typical garden hose, but Colorite does not deliberately add lead during manufacture.
                    
13. Question: Am I contaminating my vegetables and fruits by watering them from my garden hose?
    Answer: We are not aware of any studies on the potential for contamination of fruits and vegetables watered with a garden hose. However, contamination of the fruits and vegetables could come from other sources, such as the water supply itself, or from pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers and other additives used on, or in the vicinity, of the fruits and vegetables.