Methyl Isopropyl Ketone Listed Effective February 17, 2012 as Known to the State of California to Cause Reproductive Toxicity

Effective February 17, 2012, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) is adding methyl isopropyl ketone (CAS No. 563-80-4) to the list of chemicals known to the State to cause reproductive toxicity for purposes of the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 (Proposition 65 ).

Health and Safety Code section 25249.8(a) requires that substances identified in Labor Code section 6382(d) as causing reproductive toxicity be included on the Proposition 65 list.  Labor Code section 6382(d) captures any chemicals within the scope of the federal Hazard Communication Standard that are identified as reproductive toxicants.  Chemicals fall within the scope of the Hazard Communication Standard if they are listed as hazardous in the latest edition of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) “Threshold Limit Values (TLVs).”  The TLV for methyl isopropyl ketone was assigned on the basis of ACGIH’s findings of reproductive effects (developmental toxicity endpoint). 

The basis for the listing of methyl isopropyl ketone was described in a public notice published in the December 30, 2011, issue of the California Regulatory Notice Register (Register 2011, No. 52-Z).  The title of the notice was “Notice of Intent to List Methyl Isopropyl Ketone by the Labor Code Mechanism”.  The publication of the notice initiated a 30-day public comment period that closed on January 30, 2012.

A complete, updated chemical list is published in this issue of the California Regulatory Notice Register and is available on the OEHHA website.

In summary, the following chemical is being listed under Proposition 65 as known to the State to cause reproductive toxicity:

Chemical Reference

• Methyl isopropyl ketone

Related Notices

• Notice of Intent to List Methyl Isopropyl Ketone by the Labor Code Mechanism

  Dec 30, 2011
• Chemicals Delisted Effective April 4, 2014 as known to the State of California to Cause Reproductive Toxicity: N-Butyl Glycidyl Ether, Diglycidyl Ether, Phenyl Glycidyl Ether, Methyl Isopropyl Ketone and α-Methyl Styrene

  Apr 4, 2014

Footnotes and References

Health and Safety Code section 25249.5 et seq.

Listing mechanism:  LC - “Labor Code” mechanism (Labor Code sections 6382(b)(1) and (d)).