Dawson DDM350 cancer warning label - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: jancelot
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2015, 10:01:14 pm
content: Looking forward to buy the Dawson DDM350 multimeter, saw by change the back of the package, suddenly didn't know what to think. It looks like it's based on Based on California’s Proposition 65. Here's the picture and what it says:This product contains one or more chemicals known to the State of California to cause birth defects and other reproductive harm and/or cancer.What to do about this? What specific compound is that one that causes the trouble? Do I get exposed just by using the multimeter or do I have to disassemble / crack open it? I guess other electronic stuff has weird compounds, although I've found this same label on backpacks' labels too.

author: PedroDaGr8
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2015, 10:11:33 pm
content: You clearly haven't lived in California, here those labels are a joke at this point in time. Pretty much everywhere you go has those labels. The elevator at my apartment complex has it, my work place has them, most restaurants have them, etc. etc. etc. I would not worry about it in the least bit and just go on with your day.Part of the problem is that there is no minimum dosage, so just the fact that it is detectable at all (even has femtomolar conc) requires that label. Let alone, the myriad of things that can cause cancer in crazy doses but are perfectly save in normal doses, etc.

author: marshallh
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 13, 2015, 10:11:53 pm
content: Basically any product, place, thing or person doing business in California is legally obligated to have that stupid disclaimer.Usually it indicates trace (almost nonexistent) levels of some possibly-dangerous substance. Such as lead. (There are trace amounts of lead even in fresh grown produce).https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Proposition_65_%281986%29#/media/File:Disneyland_Prop_65_Warning_crop.jpg

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2015, 10:13:21 pm
content: It could be just lead, or even wood dustThe warning can be just because it contains trace amounts, so not harmful really.Coke and Pepsi actually changed some food colorant they used to avoid having the warning.If you want to know what materials/chemicals are in the list (about 800 of them) download the excel document or the full pdf file from here:http://oehha.ca.gov/prop65/prop65_list/Newlist.html

author: rollatorwieltje
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 13, 2015, 10:20:08 pm
content: Considering it mentions "reproductive harm" I would guess it's because some plastic used contains bisphenol A. Plastics made using that are being banned all over the place.

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2015, 10:28:37 pm
content: "and/or" so it's the standard warning and doesn't specify which one.Edit: Maybe all of the residents or visitors in California should wear the warning, I bet everyone emits trace amounts of something in that list.

author: bson
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 13, 2015, 10:44:41 pm
content: Completely idiotic nonsense.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2015, 11:48:43 pm
content: I'd be far more worried about your frying pan. You know, the one that used to have a nice nonstick coating months ago but now everything sticks to it.I wonder where all that coating went...?

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2015, 12:01:59 am
content: It's yet another unintended consequence if a nanny state.I am sure that the people that pushed this law forward felt good about themselves at the time.

author: Paul Moir
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2015, 12:11:35 am
content: Betcha it's the free machining brass they used for the test leads. Or maybe the FR-4?

author: LightlyDoped
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2015, 01:11:10 am
content: Just wear a hazmat suit while using it and you're good to go!

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2015, 05:09:30 am
content: BPA in small amounts in the plastics used for the battery connectors, the internal wiring, the rubberised holster, the test leads and even the inks used to print the labels. Only a worry if you chew the parts and swallow them in bulk, and are intending to get pregnant soon.Just remember that you cannot legally have a granite rock in your yard in Kalifornia, as it is classed by them as high level nuclear waste.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2015, 09:58:52 am
content: Quote from: SeanB on June 14, 2015, 05:09:30 amI'm surprised they haven't banned bananas yet - they've got potassium in them!!

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2015, 01:15:42 pm
content: They tried, but found the zoo monkeys can throw poo far enough to reach the governors office, and the window was open.......

author: Roeland_R
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2015, 01:47:44 pm
content: Don't eat the mulimeter.....

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2015, 02:41:15 pm
content: Quote from: Psi on June 13, 2015, 11:48:43 pmWhy would you worry about that? Most of it was probably scraped off by utensils, but Teflon is perfectly safe to eat.(Of course there are now many non-Teflon nonstick pans available for the paranoid.)

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2015, 05:05:42 pm
content: PTFE is safe ( mostly) unless it has been overheated, when the breakdown products are toxic.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 15, 2015, 01:03:58 am
content: Quote from: Roeland_R on June 14, 2015, 01:47:44 pmProbably eating justonemultimeter is fine. Don't eat a whole truckload of them, tho...you might get cancer.(I see those signs everywhere whenever I visit California. I think they've had that idiotic law for 30 years or so - I'm absolutely amazed they still haven't repealed it.)