Chemicals Under Consideration For Possible Listing Via The Authoritative Bodies Mechanisms: Diethanolamine, Polygorskite fibers, and Pyridine

The Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 (Proposition 65 or the Act) requires the Governor to publish, and update at least annually, a list of chemicals known to the State to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity. The Act provides two mechanisms for administratively listing chemicals as known to the State to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity [Health and Safety Code Section 25249.8(b)].

One mechanism by which a chemical is listed is if a body considered to be authoritative by the state’s qualified experts has formally identified it as causing cancer or reproductive toxicity. For carcinogenicity, the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the National Toxicology Program (NTP), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have been identified as authoritative bodies for purposes of the Act. The criteria for listing chemicals through the "authoritative bodies" mechanism are set forth in Title 22, California Code of Regulations (22 CCR) Section 12306.

As the lead agency for the implementation of Proposition 65, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) of the California Environmental Protection Agency is investigating the possible listing of the chemicals identified below, based upon information in the references cited. Documentation summarizing the rationale for considering the evaluation of these chemicals for possible administrative listing is available from OEHHA’s Proposition 65 Implementation Office at the address and telephone number indicated below, or from the download area below.

OEHHA is committed to public participation and external scientific peer review in its implementation of Proposition 65, and welcomes public input on this listing process. As part of its efforts to ensure that regulatory decisions are based upon a thorough consideration of all relevant information, OEHHA is soliciting information which may be relevant to the evaluation of these chemicals in the context of the Proposition 65 administrative listing regulatory criteria (22 CCR Section 12306).

A public forum will be held on Tuesday, March 2, 1999 to provide an opportunity for interested parties to present oral comments and to discuss the scientific data and other information relevant to a determination as to whether these chemicals meet the criteria for listing set forth in 22 CCR Section 12306. The public forum will be conducted at 10:00 a.m. in Conference Room B, Elihu Harris State Building at 1515 Clay Street, Oakland, California and will last until all business has been conducted or until 5:00 p.m.

Written comments provided in triplicate, along with supporting information, may also be submitted to:

the Proposition 65 Office
Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment
Post Office Box 4010
Sacramento, CA 95812-4010
FAX: (916) 327-1097
Telephone: (916) 445-6900

In order to be considered, comments must be postmarked (if sent by mail) or received at OEHHA (if hand-delivered or sent by fax) by 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 6, 1999.

Following the review of all comments received, OEHHA will announce its intention to proceed with the listing of those candidate chemicals that meet the regulatory criteria for administrative listing in a Notice of Intent to List Chemicals.

Chemicals which may meet the criteria set forth in 22 CCR Section 12306 for listing as known to cause carcinogenicity via the "authoritative bodies" mechanism: