Disposable diapers are used constantly in a child's early years, yet parents often have limited information about the ingredients that come into contact with a baby's skin.
Under a new California requirement, diaper manufacturers must disclose the ingredients they intentionally add, The Los Angeles Times reported.
Because diapers are among the products infants use most, the new transparency rule could influence both how families choose what to buy and how manufacturers decide what goes into them.
Here's what to know
Assembly Bill 1901, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, requires companies to disclose intentionally added diaper ingredients online starting in January 2029 and on product packaging beginning in July 2029.
Companies that don't comply can be fined up to $5,000 for an initial violation and up to $10,000 for later violations.
Assemblymember Marc Berman, a Menlo Park Democrat, described the measure as a basic consumer-rights issue, and babies may use roughly 3,000 disposable diapers in a year. "Increasing transparency about the ingredients used in diapers is not a partisan issue; it is a pro-parent issue," Berman said.
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The law also lets brands use package labels and online product pages to send shoppers to a dedicated webpage with the full ingredient list.
Kelly Hardy, the senior managing director of health and research at the nonprofit Children Now, said babies are more vulnerable to chemicals in disposable diapers because infant skin is thinner and more absorbent.
More background
Health and environmental groups have questioned what disposable diapers may contain, including plastics, fragrances, phthalates, volatile organic compounds, and synthetic musks.
Research has linked some of those substances to developmental delays, reproductive harm, endocrine-system disruption, cancer, severe rashes, and asthma.
Kelly Hardy, the senior managing director of health and research at the nonprofit Children Now, said ingredient disclosure could be especially helpful for families dealing with sensitivities or health concerns. "It's really important to many parents to understand what exactly is in the diapers, especially if their babies have sensitive skin or special needs," Hardy said.
Children Now was among more than 300 organizations that urged Newsom to sign the bill, and the measure follows a similar law passed in New York.
While backing the bill's goal, Newsom said the state still needs to clarify how businesses can protect legitimate trade secrets.
In his signing message, he wrote, "An absence of flexibility around proprietary information could put manufacturers in a difficult position with their suppliers or lead to public disclosure of legitimate confidential business information. I encourage the Department of Toxic Substances Control to initiate its rule-making authority under this bill to clarify these issues."
What's being done?
A spokesperson for the Center for Baby and Adult Hygiene Products said the trade association looks forward to working with state officials on guidance that will "ensure that the law provides meaningful transparency for consumers while appropriately safeguarding confidential business information."
Berman said parents deserve easier access to information about a product that touches a child's skin "every hour of every day for the first few years of his life."
Where can I learn more?
Fights over transparency and chemical exposure are also showing up in other products aimed at families. These stories cover lawsuits over baby wipes, PFAS restrictions, and another California labeling law.
• WaterWipes is being sued over alleged misleading claims about wipes marketed to parents.
• In Maryland, lawmakers moved to restrict nearly indestructible chemicals in schools and hospitals.
• California has banned common grocery store labels to make food dates clearer.
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