Berman Bill to Improve Ingredient Transparency in Children’s Diapers Passes Legislature

SACRAMENTO, CA - The Legislature passed Assembly Bill 1901, which would increase transparency for diaper ingredients, giving parents necessary information about diaper chemicals linked to health and environmental risks.

"As new parents, my wife and I spent countless hours researching and preparing a safe environment for our son. Much to my surprise, there is very little publicly available information about the ingredients used in the one product that is touching his skin every hour of every day for the first few years of his life - his diapers," said Assemblymember Berman. "AB 1901, which received strong bipartisan support, is a common-sense bill that requires diaper manufacturers to disclose the ingredients they use so that parents can make the best decisions for their children. Increasing transparency about the ingredients used in diapers is not a partisan issue, it is a pro-parent issue."

Recent testing shows many diapers are made with ingredients linked to health and environmental concerns. These include phthalates, which are linked to hormone disruption, and bleaching agents, which can cause skin and respiratory irritation. Volatile organic compounds are often used in diapers and can include hazardous air pollutants like toluene and xylene, which are associated with respiratory and other health harms. In addition, certain wetness indicators and colorful designs may contain harmful compounds, heavy metals, or dyes that can cause allergic contact dermatitis.

"A newborn's skin is thinner, more permeable and still developing, which means it absorbs chemicals more readily than an adult's does, and diapers are in constant contact with that skin, around the clock, for years," said Sydney Swanson, a senior science analyst at the Environmental Working Group. "Right now, parents have no way of knowing what their baby is being exposed to. Every hour of every day, an infant's skin is absorbing whatever industry decided not to tell us about. Parents can read a nutrition label or a shampoo label but not this."

AB 1901, which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, would require manufacturers of any children's diaper sold, distributed or manufactured in California to disclose on a publicly accessible web page a list of all intentionally added ingredients by January 1, 2029. In addition, each ingredient's Chemical Abstract Service (CAS) number and each ingredient's specific function or purpose in the diaper must be posted.

"Parents being allowed to know what's in their kids' diapers has widespread support, shown by the more than 330 organizations who supported AB 1901 through The Children's Movement," said Ted Lempert, President of Children Now. "This Pro-Kid bill will help protect babies from harmful chemicals and we urge the Governor to sign it into law."

By July 1, 2029, all diapers sold must include a list of all intentionally added ingredients and a web address where consumers can find the full ingredient information on their outermost packaging.

"Parents shouldn't have to be detectives to understand what's in a product their baby wears every single day," said Oriene Shin, Safety Advocacy Manager at Consumer Reports. "AB 1901 is a straightforward transparency measure that gives families the information they need to make informed choices. This bill could move the marketplace, because when consumers can compare products by ingredient, manufacturers have an incentive to use ingredients they can stand behind. California's lawmakers have done their part, and now, Gov. Newsom should stand with parents and sign it into law."

If signed by the Governor, this legislation would follow in the footsteps of previous California legislation requiring heavy metal testing and public disclosure for baby food, as well as a 2024 New York law requiring diaper packaging to list ingredients.

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