Comment Period - Prioritization 2016: Chemicals for Consultation by the Carcinogen Identification Committee

The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) announces the beginning of a 45-day public comment period on the five chemicals or chemical groups listed below.  These chemicals will be discussed at the November 15, 2016 meeting of the Proposition 65 Carcinogen Identification Committee (CIC).  The CIC is the state’s qualified experts on carcinogenicity for purposes of the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 (Proposition 65).  The CIC will provide the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) with advice on the prioritization of these chemicals for possible preparation of hazard identification materials.  At a later date, OEHHA will select chemicals for preparation of hazard identification materials and announce those decisions in a separate notice.  No listing decisions will be made for these chemicals at the November 15 meeting. 

OEHHA is the lead agency for the implementation of Proposition 65.  The evidence of hazard used in this current round of prioritization is an epidemiologic data screen and an animal data screen.  Chemicals or chemical groups passing either data screen were then subjected to a preliminary toxicological evaluation.  This screening follows the procedure described in the 2004 OEHHA document, “Process for Prioritizing Chemicals for Consideration under Proposition 65 by the State’s Qualified Experts”.

The five chemicals or chemical groups are:

  • Aspartame
  • Asphalt and Asphalt Emissions Associated with Road Paving and Asphalt and Asphalt Emissions Associated with Roofing
  • Methyl Chloride
  • Type I Pyrethroids
  • Vinyl Acetate

The CIC will consider these chemicals at its meeting on Tuesday, November 15, 2016.  The meeting will be held in the Sierra Hearing Room at the CalEPA Headquarters building, 1001 I Street, Sacramento, California.  The meeting will begin at 10:00 a.m. and will last until all business is conducted or until 5:00 p.m.  The agenda for the meeting will be provided in an upcoming public notice published in advance of the meeting.  OEHHA will send comments received on the prioritization documents for these chemicals to CIC members prior to the meeting.

Copies of the summaries of available scientific information on the chemicals and related attachments are available on OEHHA’s web site or may be requested by calling (916) 445-6900. 

Interested parties may provide comment on the extent of the scientific evidence pertaining to the selection of any of these chemicals for possible preparation of hazard identification materials.  OEHHA must receive comments and any supporting documentation by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, October 24, 2016.  We encourage you to submit comments in electronic form, rather than in paper form.  Comments transmitted by e-mail should be addressed to P65Public.Comments@oehha.ca.gov.  Please include “2016 CIC Prioritization” in the subject line.  Comments submitted in paper form may be mailed, faxed, or delivered in person to the addresses below:

      Mailing Address: Michelle Ramirez
      Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment
      P.O. Box 4010, MS-12B
      Sacramento, California 95812-4010

      Fax: (916) 323-2265

      Street Address: 1001 I Street
      Sacramento, California 95814

Please be aware that OEHHA is subject to the California Public Records Act and other laws that require the release of certain information upon request.  If you provide comments, please be aware that your name, address and e-mail may be available to third parties.

Comments received during the public comment period will be posted on the OEHHA web site after the close of the comment period.

If you have any questions, please contact Michelle Ramirez at Michelle.Ramirez@oehha.ca.gov or (916) 445-6900.

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