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[Diaperman News #5] Ingredient labels on diaper packaging?! — California AB 1901 signed

🎬 Watch the 60-second video: https://youtube.com/shorts/Csngc_V4Hgg?feature=share

Diaperman News #5 — Ingredient labels on diaper packaging?!

One-line summary

On September 28, 2026, the Governor of California signed AB 1901. Starting in 2029, children's diaper manufacturers must disclose "intentionally added ingredients" both online and on packaging.

Ingredient labels on diaper packaging?! California AB 1901, signed September 28, 2026

What happened

  • On September 28, 2026, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1901 (Assembly Bill 1901).
  • The author is Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park).
  • Supporters: Consumer Reports, EWG, HealthyBaby, and actress Hilary Swank.

The core of the law

AB 1901 requires manufacturers of children's diapers sold · distributed · manufactured in California to disclose all "intentionally added ingredients".

ItemDetail
Online disclosureFrom January 1, 2029, full ingredient disclosure by product on a manufacturer-dedicated webpage
Packaging disclosureDisclosure on packaging also planned from 2029
ScopeChemical/common names, CAS numbers, and each ingredient's function/purpose
Legal definitiondisposable brief, protective underwear, liner, booster, insert, underpad + components (absorbent lining · fill, outer shell, adhesive tab, dyes, fragrances, wetness indicator)
EnforcementDTSC · Attorney General · city attorneys · county counsels · district attorneys
Penalties$5,000 for first violation, $10,000 thereafter

What are "intentionally added ingredients," anyway?

'Intentionally added ingredients' — full disclosure of functional ingredients, with CAS numbers and functions

The law's "intentionally added ingredients" doesn't just mean "what's in it." It means chemicals that the manufacturer intentionally added and that have a functional · technical effect inside the product. It also covers components of added chemicals and intended breakdown products that have a functional effect.

The interesting part is the debate over scope. Critics point out: "If only ingredients with a functional effect must be disclosed, wouldn't trace contaminants or unintended residues slip through?" The governor's signing message also flagged the absence of trade-secret protections and recommended DTSC rulemaking. The details of disclosure will be refined through future DTSC rules.

Why this law — "24 hours on skin, yet unregulated"

The bill's purpose is simple. Diapers touch a baby's skin 24 hours a day for years, yet there was no ingredient-labeling obligation.

  • Consumer Reports tested 31 brands: only 2 disclosed full ingredients, while 7 disclosed almost nothing. (Brand names not disclosed here.)
  • Senate analysis noted that recent testing found phthalates (endocrine-disruption concerns), bleaching agents (skin · respiratory irritation), and VOCs (may include hazardous air pollutants) in diapers. That said, the mere presence of an ingredient doesn't mean harm.

Not just California

Not just California — New York in effect since 2025, Illinois from 2027

  • New York: Law S2279C already in effect since 2025.
  • Illinois: Diaper ingredient disclosure obligation begins January 2027.
  • California's law goes one step deeper than New York's. New York focuses on packaging disclosure, but California requires CAS numbers and functions on a dedicated online page.

Important: this is NOT a "ban law"

This is not a ban law — a disclosure obligation, so parents can see and choose

Unlike the New Jersey PFAS law from News #2, which bans specific substances, this isn't one. AB 1901 is a "disclosure obligation." The goal is to let parents see the ingredients and choose for themselves. Still, transparency makes manufacturers re-examine their own ingredients. It's regulation-by-information changing the market, not regulation-by-ban.

A word from Diaperman

The science of materials you're too embarrassed to ask about — this was Diaperman! In News #6, we cover adult diapers. Stay tuned!

Source links

🎬 Watch the 60-second video: https://youtube.com/shorts/Csngc_V4Hgg?feature=share

πŸ•΅️ One episode every day — the science of materials you're too embarrassed to ask about. Search for "Diaperman" on YouTube!

The videos and illustrations in this post were AI-generated.

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