Question: When leaving with my "doggie bag" after eating at IHOP at Windward Mall, there was a warning on the bag: "Warning: Chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer or birth defects or other reproductive harm may be present in foods or beverages sold or served here." Is this serious? Shouldn’t this be on the menu? Why isn’t the restaurant shut down or those foods removed from the menu? I looked forward to my "leftovers," but not after reading that warning.

Answer: You should not be unduly alarmed or concerned about the warning, according to the state Department of Health.

Such a warning is not required in Hawaii, but is on the "doggie bag" because the bag was printed in California.

Proposition 65, which became law in California in 1989, requires businesses to notify residents "about significant amounts of chemicals in the products they purchase, in their homes or workplaces, or that are released into the environment," according to the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment.

The list of chemicals that are subject to the law includes "a wide range of naturally occurring and synthetic chemicals that are known to cause cancer or birth defects or other reproductive harm," the office said. "These chemicals include additives or ingredients in pesticides, common household products, food, drugs, dyes, or solvents." (See is.gd/mL5324.)

"California is one of those states that require labeling on everything that MAY cause cancer," said Peter Oshiro, manager of the Health Department’s Environmental Health Program.

The result, he said, is that "manufacturers will just label everything to comply, whether or not there is a reasonable risk."

The labeling is required on every water heater sold in that state. So, for example, "if a restaurant uses hot water, which all are required to do, or serves foods with artificial ingredients, which almost all prepared foods contain, California law may require all food facilities to label their menus or doggie bags with this label," Oshiro explained.

The doggie bag by itself may be required to have the warning if it has a foil lining.

Microwave ovens, appliances and anything that emits heat made of metal, or has even trace amounts of lead, also usually has this warning notice, Oshiro said. "This is why every single item sold in California may have a similar warning."

Oshiro says he personally believes the law is excessive, pointing out that no other state has such a law.

"This is one of the fears of excessive labeling laws as they will either frighten people or they will become numb to the warnings, as in California," he said. "It is worse when we label items that we know do not pose any significant health risk, or are below acceptable tolerances, just to make a point."

Meanwhile, Craig Hoffman, spokesman for IHOP corporate offices in California, explained that Hawaii is part of IHOP’s larger California district, where the doggie bags are printed.

"Rather than run a separate printing of bags for Hawaii, which would be cost-ineffective, we err on the side of caution and include them for everything that covers the district of California," he said.

"To be clear, we do this, legally, as an overabundance of caution. We just want to be in compliance" with Proposition 65, he said.

Hoffman emphasized that the warning "doesn’t indicate that there is anything (of harm) in any of the restaurants."

Question: Is there anything we can do about cars parking in front of our rubbish bin? We took our bin out late last night and left it where no car was parked. This morning we found our bin was not emptied because a car was parked too close to it. There are a lot of cars that park on the street in our area. Do we leave the rubbish bin on the road?

Answer: You told us the car was not parked illegally, such as within four feet of your driveway, although that sometimes happens.

The city Department of Environmental Services advises homeowners who experience parked cars blocking their trash carts to place the carts at the end of their driveways.

That would "assure our trucks can safely service them," said spokesman Markus Owens.

Write to "Kokua Line" at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.