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Notice of Public Comment for Proposed Reference Exposure Levels for Caprolactam

The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) is releasing draft document describing proposed Reference Exposure Levels (RELs) for caprolactam to solicit public comment.  OEHHA is required to develop guidelines for conducting health risk assessments under the Air Toxics Hot Spots Program (Health and Safety Code section 44360 (b)(2)).  OEHHA has developed Technical Support Documents (TSDs) in response to this statutory requirement, including one which described acute, 8 hour, and chronic RELs, which was adopted in December 2008.  These guidelines have already been used to develop updated RELs for several chemicals, and OEHHA is now presenting draft RELs for caprolactam.

We are seeking comments on the proposed RELs for caprolactam, and the application of the revised methodology to protect infants and children and other sensitive subpopulations.  The proposed acute, 8 hour, and chronic RELs for caprolactam are 50, 2, and 0.8 ug/m3, respectively.  Following this public comment period, the RELs  for caprolactam and any comments received, along with OEHHA’s response to these comments, will undergo review by the State’s Scientific Review Panel on Toxic Air Contaminants (Health and Safety Code section 39670 et seq.).

The draft document is available on the OEHHA Home Page at http://www.oehha.ca.gov.  This notice begins a 45-day public review period that will end on July 6, 2010. 

Public workshops will be held during this period: time and location will be announced soon on the OEHHA website.  Please direct your comments on the document, and any inquiries concerning technical matters or availability of the documents in writing or by e-mail to:


Chief, Air Toxicology and Risk Assessment Section
Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment
1515 Clay St., 16th Floor
Oakland, CA  94612 
E-mail: john.budroe@oehha.ca.gov
Telephone: (510) 622-3145

In order to be considered at this point in the process, all comments must be received by close of business on July 6, 2010.

Information about upcoming dates and agenda for meetings of the Scientific Review Panel can be obtained from the ARB web page at http://www.arb.ca.gov/srp/srp.htm.