California AB 1200 vs. Proposition 65

California continues to lead the nation in regulating chemicals in consumer products, particularly food packaging and cookware. Two laws dominate the compliance landscape: the California Safer Food Packaging and Cookware Act (AB 1200) and the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 (Prop 65). Although both laws address consumer exposure to hazardous chemicals, they operate very differently. AB 1200 bans "regulated PFAS" in certain food packaging and requires chemical disclosures for cookware, while Prop 65 may require warnings for food, packaging, cookware, or food-contact materials that expose consumers to listed chemicals above established safe harbor levels. For regulatory compliance professionals, understanding how these laws intersect—and where they diverge—is essential to managing product stewardship, labeling programs, supplier compliance, and enforcement risk.