Few Seem to Notice Toxic Warning Signs at Shops, Gas Pumps

Bruce Hochman was standing outside a 7-Eleven store in Los Angeles, oblivious to a new sign in the window warning him that products sold there might contain chemicals that cause cancer and birth defects.

The small, red-white-and-blue sign advised Hochman and other shoppers to dial a toll-free number if they want to know what consumer products contain dangerous chemicals.

“I didn’t even notice it, to be honest,” Hochman said. But after reading it he concluded, “The sign is not helping you because it’s telling you to call this number. I think the product itself should have the information.”

The sign was one of thousands of such notices posted in stores and gas stations throughout the state Saturday in an attempt to comply with Proposition 65, the anti-toxics initiative approved by voters in 1986.

Like Hochman, many consumers at Southern California stores and gas stations walked right past the signs without even noticing them. Often, the warnings were placed in out-of-the-way corners or among numerous other notices, making them easy to miss.

Varied Reactions

Throughout Southern California, reaction to the warnings was varied. Some shoppers said they welcomed information that would help them avoid chemicals that can cause cancer or birth defects. But others said it is a waste of time to post warnings for products like gasoline that people have been using for decades.

Penni Walraven, who was filling her tank at a Unocal 76 station in San Diego, responded to the warning that gasoline contains cancer-causing materials with “so does the sun. You’re not gonna get away from it. You’re gonna die of something. I wouldn’t want someone to sue 76 because they got cancer from breathing gas fumes. That’s not fair.”

An attendant at a Mobil station in San Diego said the sign had been posted for several days but had received no comment from customers. “I don’t think they even notice it,” he said. “They’re not worried, they’ve been pumping gas for 40 years.”

“It’s actually kind of silly to have signs all over the place,” said Michael DeLuca as he bought gas at a Unocal 76 station in Los Angeles where notices warned motorists that “detectable amounts” of dangerous chemicals might be present. “What are you going to do? Wear a mask?”

Gasoline and its vapors can contain at least two of the 29 chemicals covered by the law’s warning requirements that took effect Saturday: benzene, which is a carcinogen, and lead, which can cause birth defects.

Under Proposition 65, businesses are prohibited from exposing people to toxic chemicals unless they first provide a “clear and reasonable” warning of the danger. Warnings are not required if the chemical does not pose a significant risk by exceeding the safety levels set by the state.

Companies that violate the law can face fines of up to $2,500 a day for each exposure. Any citizen who wishes to take advantage of the initiative’s bounty hunter provision can file suit and collect 25% of the penalty.

To comply with the law, dozens of companies throughout the state took out ads in Saturday’s papers to warn people about the hazards of pollutants coming from their plants and factories.

Northrop Corp., TRW, Rockwell International, McDonnell Douglas, Southern California Gas Co., FMC Corp. and GTE placed ads in The Times to warn their neighbors about the potential dangers of their operations.

Some Ignored Posting

But at the same time, a number of stores did not post warnings at all, leaving themselves vulnerable to hefty penalties if a court finds that one of the products they sell endangers the public.

The signs posted at stores and advertising the toll-free number are part of a warning program devised by the major food marketing companies to avoid the stiff penalties of the law without actually providing information about the hazards of each product to all consumers.

In order to learn whether products contain dangerous chemicals, consumers must call the hot line--(800) 431-6565--and identify each item by its brand name.

Spokesmen for the hot line have repeatedly refused to say how many of the products sold in California stores require a warning.

So far, only about 500 products have been listed with the hot line, said Jeffrey Nedelman, a spokesman for the Grocery Manufacturers Assn.

Donna Robillard, a shopper at a Vons supermarket in San Diego, said she did not notice the sign even though she had heard that the warnings would be posted.

“I wonder why they wouldn’t want to display it more prominently,” she said.

More Specific Information

At a Safeway in San Diego, Carole McMillan said she wished the notices were more specific. “I don’t think that sign does much good,” she said. “I want to know which products they’re talking about.”

At the same store, Julia Sciarra said that she had not noticed the signs but that she had heard about Proposition 65 on the news. “I don’t think that’s good,” she said, after the sign was pointed out to her. “It doesn’t attract attention. There are so many other things to look at as you go by. I think the phone number (the hot line) should be bigger too. But I think it’s a great idea. I’ve been aware of this chemical thing for a long time now. I think that’s one reason for the increase of cancer, especially among women. Women do most of the work in the house and are the ones using these products--touching and inhaling and getting them into their skin.”

At a Vons store in San Diego, the signs were posted on windows to the left of the two entrances, not in direct sight of the customers.

“Wouldn’t it be better if it were on the door?” asked shopper Loretta Zappia. “You wouldn’t stop to look at that. It needs a more prominent display.” Zappia, who is 70, said she reads the labels of products that she buys, but doesn’t worry too much about the possible hazards since she has survived this long. “We’ve come a long way and it hasn’t killed too many of us yet.”

And at a Vons in the San Fernando Valley, Donna Clark said she was unlikely to use the hot line unless she thought there might be a dangerous chemical in an item she was buying. “I don’t want to take down the name of every product and call about it,” she said.