California Cosmetic Regulations Archives - Focal Point

SB 54 Update: CalRecycle Releases Updated CMC List & First-Ever Recycling Rates

Srishti Chaudhari — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 21:33:40 +0000

CalRecycle has officially published the annual update to the Covered Material Categories (CMC) list under California’s SB 54 (Plastic Pollution and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act). This update, effective Jan 2026, is critical for determining if your packaging can be legally labeled as “recyclable” or “compostable” in California.

What’s New in this Update?

For the first time, the list includes published recycling rates by CMC, a requirement under PRC section 42061(b).

Why It Matters:

Defines Compliance: The list sets CalRecycle’s official determinations on which material categories meet the criteria for recyclability and compostability.
Labeling Impact: These determinations directly influence your eligibility to use “recyclable” or “compostable” labels pursuant to PRC sections 42061(c) and (d).

The updated CMC list and guidance on categorization on the CalRecycle SB 54 Covered Material Categories can be found on the webpage. It’s time to check your product classifications against the new rates. Please contact us if you have any questions regarding this update.

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CARB Launches 2025 Personal Fragrance Technical Assessment

Srishti Chaudhari — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 21:24:37 +0000

If you manufacture or sold personal fragrance products with 10 percent or less fragrance in 2025 products in the California market, it is time to prepare for the latest technical assessment from the California Air Resource Borad (CARB).

CARB is currently evaluating whether it is feasible for the industry to meet the upcoming 50% Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) standard using current or emerging technologies. As part of this evaluation, new reporting requirements are now in effect.

Deadline: All data for the 2025 Personal Fragrance Products Technical Assessment must be submitted to CARB by March 31, 2026.

What is Required:

Responsible Parties need to complete two main tasks:

Submit the Data: You must use the interactive Personal Fragrance Products Reporting Tool (PFP-RT). This is a macro-enabled Excel workbook (available for both Windows and Mac) where you will list products, ingredients, and responsible parties.

Submit a Written Report: In addition to the raw data, you are required to submit a written update regarding your R&D efforts. This report should detail the work being done to meet the future 50% VOC standard.

Streamlined Process for Formulators:

To make reporting easier, CARB has changed how they handle trade secrets and third-party formulators. You do not need to contact your formulators for their data. Instead, once you submit your report (PFP-RT) listing your Product Formulators, CARB staff will contact them directly. CARB will send them a separate tool (PFP-RTF) to collect the necessary formulation data, ensuring confidentiality is maintained without you having to act as the middlemen.

This assessment is a critical step toward the January 1, 2031, regulations. By that date, non-aerosol fragrance products (with 10% or less fragrance) and aerosol products will be required to meet the strict 50% VOC limit. This assessment is CARB’s way of checking the industry’s pulse to see if the goal is achievable.

Next Steps: Download the reporting tools and review the definition of ‘Fragrance’ to ensure you are reporting the correct ingredients. If you require assistance in understanding the regulations, please contact us.

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CARB Survey Deadline Extended

Srishti Chaudhari — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 18:26:55 +0000

California Air Resources Board (CARB) 2023 Consumer and Commercial Products Survey, covering 37 product categories, remains a key effort in reducing emissions from consumer and commercial products used in California. The survey collects 2023 sales and formulation data from Responsible Parties and Formulators.

The reporting deadline has been extended to September 22,2025. Entities that have not yet reported are strongly encouraged to submit their data before the new deadline.

CARB will host a webinar on September 8,2025 to provide a status update on the 2023 survey and discuss next steps.

To understand how this affects your business, please reach out to us.

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Assembly Bill 2491 – Banning the sale of anti-aging products to children

Srishti Chaudhari — Wed, 01 May 2024 17:23:49 +0000

On April 23, 2024, Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee passed AB 2491 to the Appropriations Committee for further review. Assembly Bill 2491 is a proposal highlighting the need to ban the sale of anti aging products to children under 13 in the state of California. The bill will ban products such as over-the-counter skin care products or cosmetic products that are advertised to address skin aging and contain Vitamin A and its derivatives including retinoids and retinol and/or alpha hydroxy acids including glycolic acid, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) or citric acid. Skincare choices for children are hugely driven by content creators and influencers on social media who do not present the complete information related to the products they endorse. Dermatologists also weighed in by saying these products are said to provide no benefits to younger skin leaving the potential only for harm, making the need of such a law more apparent.

The bill will require businesses to take reasonable steps to ensure the sale of such products are not made to children under the age of 13. Suggested actions could include confirming the age of the purchaser before selling and putting up notices besides these products highlighting that they are not intended for anyone under 13 years of age, among other actions. Protecting young people, maintaining the freedom of choice and industrial innovation will turn out to be the deciding factors as AB 2941 works its way through the legislative process.

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California Expands Cosmetic Safety Regulations with AB 496

Srishti Chaudhari — Mon, 06 Nov 2023 20:31:39 +0000

In a move to bolster consumer safety, California is enhancing its regulations governing cosmetics with the introduction of Assembly Bill 496 (AB 496). This law updates the state’s 2020 Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act, which initially banned 24 chemicals from use in personal care products, by adding 26 chemicals to the list of prohibited ingredients. The bill, which comes into effect on January 1, 2027, builds upon existing legislation that prohibits the use of certain intentionally added ingredients in cosmetic products, a measure set to begin enforcement on January 1, 2025.

The list of prohibited ingredients includes those like lily aldehyde, acetaldehyde, and styrene, to name a few, which will be off-limits in cosmetic production starting in 2027. The bill also addresses a broad range of boron substances, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), among others. While these stringent regulations are in place, the bill acknowledges that trace quantities of these ingredients, stemming from any impurities of components or manufacturing and storage processes shall not lead to a violation of the new provisions.

For the full text of AB 496 and the list of ingredients, please click here.

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