Prop 65
As required by the State of California, so that we can legally sell Akamai Mineral Toothpowder to residents of that state, we must put the following language on our site.
California Proposition 65 WARNING: This product contains a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.
This is because one of the ingredients in Akamai Mineral Toothpowder, Calcium Bentonite Clay, can have low levels of heavy metals in it, specifically lead. Sounds scary, right? However, the naturally occurring (organic) heavy metals in clay are molecularly bound to clay particles – meaning they are not bioavailable, and can’t be absorbed.
Clay is powerful stuff – it’s positively charged ions bind to heavy metals, so that they are contained and expelled rather than absorbed by our bodies. In fact, one of bentonite clay’s therapeutic uses is to consume orally to remove heavy metals, such as lead, from your body – a process called “chelating”.
Prop 65 is a law with good intentions but with major flaws, such as:
Prop 65 regulates exposures, not concentrations and not actual harm or injury. For example, Prop 65 limits for lead are so low, almost all plant foods (eg. green beans, spinach, avocados, etc.) contain amounts higher than allowed by this law, but they do NOT carry the warning. Furthermore, eating the USDA recommended 3 – 5 servings of vegetables could expose you to 10X the maximum allowed by Prop 65. In fact 1 serving of our natural toothpowder has less lead it in than 1 serving of many plant foods. So, while there is exposure in our toothpowder, it is not harmful.
Prop 65 does a poor job of clearly exempting items like clay where heavy metals are in an organic, bound, naturally occurring, non-bioavailable form. Prop 65 states that no warning is required when the listed substance occurs naturally in a food product, and not as the result of "known human activity." However, the State of California has never issued clear guidelines on how this exception applies to the natural products and health industry. It is generally understood that lead and other substances occur naturally in the environment and are found in trace amounts in naturally occurring ingredients, including those ingredients used to make natural products and supplements. However, to claim this naturally occurring exception to Prop 65 (i.e.: to not post the labels on products) usually lands the claimant in an expensive, time consuming, and business destroying legal proceeding.
We believe our natural toothpowder is 100% safe for ourselves, our family and customers.
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When it comes to being safe from toxic ingredients and heavy metals in products (and food) we follow and support The Environmental Working Group.
