Complying with the Consumer Products Regulations
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The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has adopted several regulations to reduce the amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are emitted from the use of consumer products in homes and institutions. The Consumer Products Regulations are found in Title 17, California Code of Regulations, Division 3, Chapter 1, Subchapter 8.5, Articles 1 through 5, Sections 94500-94575.
Resources to help ensure that a consumer product complies with the regulations can be found at the links below.
| Product Determination | CARB staff offer product determinations to interested parties to clarify the regulations as they apply to their particular situation. |
| Innovative Product Exemption | The innovative products provision allows an alternative to compliance with the VOC standards. |
| Alternative Control Plan | Provide an alternative method to comply with the VOC standards for consumer products by allowing responsible parties the option of voluntarily entering into separate “alternative control plans.” |
| Charcoal Lighter Material | To sell, supply, or offer for sale a charcoal lighter material product, specific requirements must be met for California and for the South Coast Air Quality Management District. |
| Windshield Washer Fluid | VOCs in windshield washer fluids are limited to low concentrations in lower, warmer elevations. Higher VOC concentrations are permitted in higher elevations, where freezing conditions are expected. |
| Variances | Any person who cannot comply with specific requirements set forth in Article 2 or Article 3 of the regulations because of extraordinary reasons beyond the person's reasonable control may apply in writing to the Executive Officer for a variance. |
| VOC Exemptions | CARB defines "VOC exempt" compounds as those not expected to meaningfully contribute to ozone formation due to their low reactivity in the atmosphere. |
| LVP-VOC Research | LVP-VOCs used in consumer products are not counted towards the total product VOC content for compliance purposes. |
| Program Guidance | CARB developed regulatory guidance documents to clarify specific sections of the Consumer Products Regulation. |
| Enforcement Advisories | Advisories to assist industry in keeping informed of regulatory changes. |
| Fragrance Use in Consumer Products | Fragrance ingredients are common in consumer products and present across nearly every product category. Manufacturers typically add fragrance to offset undesirable odors from base ingredients or to enhance the overall scent of the product. |
| A brief summary of how confidential information is handled under CARB regulations. | |
| All Current Regulations | All five articles of the Consumer Products Regulations |