California Air Resources Board

The Consumer Products Regulatory Program is an important part of the overall effort to reduce the amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), toxic air contaminants (TACs), and greenhouse gases (GHGs) that are emitted from using chemically formulated consumer products.

"Consumer product" means a chemically formulated product used by household and institutional consumers including, but not limited to, detergents; cleaning compounds; polishes; floor finishes; cosmetics; personal care products; home, lawn, and garden products; disinfectants; sanitizers; aerosol paints; and automotive specialty products; but does not include other paint products, furniture coatings, or architectural coatings. "Consumer product" shall also refer to aerosol adhesives, including aerosol adhesives used for consumer, industrial, and commercial uses. 

VOCs that are emitted into the air from consumer products and other sources (motor vehicles, stationary sources, etc.) react with other pollutants under sunlight to form ground-level ozone and particulate matter (PM_2.5), the main ingredients in smog. Reducing VOC emissions from consumer products therefore plays an integral part in CARB's effort to reduce smog in California.

Background & Informational Materials

• How Confidential Information Is Handled by CARB
• Consumer Products Enforcement Program
  • Advisories
• Fuel Containers
• VOC Exemptions
• Opinion of the Attorney General on Product Form