California Assembly Bill 916: Safer Soap Act to Ban Harmful Chemicals in Consumer Soaps

On March 26, 2025, the California Assembly Bill 916, also known as the Safer Soap Act, re-referred to the Committee on Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials was held on calendar order of second reading. This bill was Introduced by Assembly Member on February 19, 2025, the bill seeks to prohibit certain antimicrobial chemicals in consumer hand soaps and body washes due to concerns over human health risks and antimicrobial resistance.
If enacted, starting January 1, 2028, the bill would ban the manufacture, sale, and distribution of hand soaps and body washes containing benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride, and chloroxylenol in California. The legislation cites scientific evidence indicating that these chemicals do not provide added health benefits over regular soap and water while posing risks such as antibiotic resistance and potential long-term harm to human health and the environment. The bill references statements from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), both of which have raised concerns about the safety and effectiveness of these ingredients.
The bill notes that despite regulatory delays at the federal level, legislative action is necessary to protect public health, especially for children, who are more vulnerable to the effects of these chemicals. However, the prohibition does not apply to products used in health care facilities as defined by California law.