California Air Resources Board

SACRAMENTO - The California Air Resources Board today announced that L’Oreal USA S/D Inc. has paid $146,500 in penalties for selling three Redken-brand hair care products that failed to meet the state’s air quality regulations.

L’Oreal agreed to pay the fine after settling a consumer products case with the state Air Resources Board. During routine inspections, ARB Enforcement Division staff purchased three products — Redken Spray Starch 15, Redken Iron Silk 07 and Redken Full Weightlifter — that contained concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) exceeding a 6 percent VOC limit under a state consumer products regulation. New Jersey-based L’Oreal owns American hair care brand Redken.

The Redken products were formulated at 55 percent VOC content for finishing hair sprays. However, since these products only made styling claims — no claims to “finish, maintain or hold previously styled hair” — they are subject to a lower 6 percent VOC limit for products in the hair styling category. Under the state regulation, finishing hair spray products may also make styling claims while meeting the less stringent VOC limit, however, if the products only make styling claims they are subject to a more stringent VOC limit. VOC compounds react with other pollutants under sunlight to form ground-level ozone, a main ingredient in smog.

“When consumers statewide use products that do not comply with California’s standards, they unknowingly release significant quantities of smog-forming chemicals into the atmosphere,” ARB Enforcement Chief James Ryden said. “These violations by L’Oreal impact air quality and public health.”

The violations, which resulted in the release of an estimated 11.3 tons of excess emissions, took place over a three year period between 2011 and 2014. The fines go into the California Air Pollution Control Fund. L’Oreal also agreed not to sell, supply, offer for sale or manufacture for sale in California any consumer product in violation of ARB consumer products regulations.

For more information about California’s consumer products enforcement program, click here.