AB 1699 Summary

• Prohibits sale or promotional offering of personal care products containing synthetic plastic microbeads in California, with a phased implementation: non-drug products banned January 1, 2019, and all products including over-the-counter drugs banned January 1, 2020.

• Exempts products containing less than 1 part per million (ppm) by weight of synthetic plastic microbeads from the prohibition.

• Establishes civil penalties of up to $2,500 per day per violation, enforceable by the Attorney General, district attorneys, or city attorneys of cities with populations exceeding 750,000.

• Declares the regulation occupies the entire field of state authority over synthetic plastic microbeads in personal care products, preempting local ordinances on the same subject after January 1, 2019 (January 1, 2020 for over-the-counter drugs).

• Requires civil penalties collected to be retained by the office that brought the enforcement action.