Benzophenone, Coconut oil diethanolamine condensate (cocamide diethanolamine), Diethanolamine and 2-Methylimidazole Listed Effective June 22, 2012 as Known to the State to Cause Cancer

The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) within the California Environmental Protection Agency is adding benzophenone (CAS No. 119-61-9), coconut oil diethanolamine condensate (cocamide diethanolamine) (CAS No. 68603-42-9), diethanolamine (CAS No. 111-42-2), and 2-methylimidazole (CAS No. 693-98-1) to the list of chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer for purposes of the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 (Proposition 65 ).  The listing of these four chemicals is effective June 22, 2012. 

Health and Safety Code section 25249.8(a) incorporates California Labor Code sections 6382(b)(1) and 6382(d) into Proposition 65.  The law requires that certain substances identified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) be listed as known to cause cancer under Proposition 65.  Labor Code section 6382(b)(1) refers to substances identified as human or animal carcinogens by IARC.  Labor Code section 6382(d) refers to substances identified as carcinogens or potential carcinogens by IARC or NTP.  Information regarding carcinogenicity classifications by IARC may be found at the following URL:  http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Preamble/CurrentPreamble.pdf (IARC Preamble).

The basis for the listing of benzophenone, coconut oil diethanolamine condensate (cocamide diethanolamine), diethanolamine, and 2-methylimidazole was described in a public notice published in the January 20, 2012, issue of the California Regulatory Notice Register (Register 2012, No. 3-Z).  The title of the notice was “Notice of Intent to List Chemicals by the Labor Code Mechanism”.  The publication of the notice initiated a public comment period that closed on April 6, 2012.