Watchdog group says Soylent’s cadmium and lead levels violate CA law

Late last week, non-profit environmental watchdog group As You Sow issued a press release indicating its intention to file suit against the makers of Soylent, the meal replacement product engineered by Silicon Valley entrepreneur Rob Rhinehart. As You Sow states that two separately tested samples of Soylent’s latest 1.5 formula contained "12 to 25 times" the amount of lead allowed under the "safe harbor for reproductive health" provisions of the state of California’s Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 (commonly called "Proposition 65"). As You Sow also says it found cadmium levels at least four times higher than the safe harbor for reproductive health levels.

Soylent already displays a Proposition 65 notice on its web site—according to the information there, consuming a full day’s worth of Soylent 1.5 would indeed exceed both the Maximum Allowable Dose Levels (MADLs) and No Significant Risk Levels (NSRLs) for lead and cadmium.

California’s Proposition 65 guidelines for heavy metals are more strict than those used internationally by the World Health Organization. The MADL and NSRL numbers for lead and cadmium aren’t indicators of immediate harm; rather, they are limits below which no harm has been observed.