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Augmentation and Clarification of Record for Proposed Regulation - Chloroform

The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) is augmenting the administrative record for the proposed regulation to establish a Maximum Allowable Dose Level (MADL) for chloroform (Title 27, California Code of Regulations, section 25805). The augmentation consists of scientific papers and their references. As required by Government Code section 11346.8(c), and Title 1, Section 44 of the California Code of Regulations, OEHHA is giving notice of this augmentation. The proposed regulatory action is being taken pursuant to OEHHA's authority under Proposition 651.

The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for the proposed chloroform MADL was published on May 18, 2012, in the California Regulatory Notice Register (Register 2012, No 20-Z), which initiated a public comment period. Written comments from the public were received during the comment period, which ended July 2, 2012. The comments note that the Initial Statement of Reasons for the proposed regulation stated OEHHA had identified six animal studies of exposure to chloroform in animals, but provided a reference for only the study that formed the basis for the MADL. Accordingly, OEHHA is augmenting the record to include the references for and copies of the following five studies:

  • Baeder C, Hoffman T (1988). Initial submission: inhalation embryotoxicity study of chloroform in Wistar rats (final report) with attachment and cover letter dated 2/21/92. Pharma Res Toxicol Pathol Conducted for Occidental Chem Corp . U.S. EPA/OTS Public Files, Document Number: 88-920001208.
  • Dilley JV, Chernoff N, Kay D, Winslow N, Newell GW (1977). Inhalation teratology studies of five chemicals in rats. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 41:196.
  • Ruddick JA, Villeneuve DC, Chu I, Valli VE (1983). A teratological assessment of four trihalomethanes in the rat. J Environ Sci Health B 18(3):333-49.
  • Schwetz BA, Leong BK, Gehring PJ (1974). Embryo- and fetotoxicity of inhaled chloroform in rats. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 28(3):442-51.
  • Thompson DJ, Warner SD, Robinson VB (1974). Teratology studies on orally administered chloroform in the rat and rabbit. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 29(3):348-357.

To clarify the record, the Initial Statement of Reasons for the proposed chloroform MADL incorrectly stated that there were six animal studies by the inhalation route of exposure. The study by Thompson et al. (1974) identified above was by the oral route of exposure.

OEHHA will accept written comments on these amendments to the proposed regulation between August 24, and September 10, 2012. All written comments must be submitted to OEHHA no later than 5:00 p.m. on September 10, 2012.

The public is encouraged to submit written information via e-mail, rather than in paper form. Send e-mail comments to P65Public.Comments@oehha.ca.gov. Please include "CHLOROFORM MADL" in the subject line. Hard-copy comments may be mailed, faxed, or delivered to:

Mailing Address: Ms. Monet Vela
Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment
P.O. Box 4010, MS-23B
Sacramento, California 95812-4010
Fax: (916) 323-2610
Street Address: 1001 I Street
Sacramento, California 95814

Please direct inquiries concerning the proposed regulatory action described in this notice to monet.vela@oehha.ca.gov or by calling (916) 323-2517. Sam Delson is a back-up contact person for inquiries concerning processing of this action and is available at: sam.delson@oehha.ca.gov or by telephone at (916) 327-3015

Link to Public Comments

The comment period closed on September 10, 2012

Footnotes and References

1The Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, codified at Health and Safety Code section 25249.5 et seq.