Estrogen–progestogen (combined) used as menopausal therapy, Etoposide, Etoposide in combination with cisplatin and bleomycin, Methyl isobutyl ketone, MOPP (vincristine-prednisone-nitrogen mustard-procarbazine mixture) Listed as Carcinogens

The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) within the California Environmental Protection Agency is adding five chemicals – estrogen-progestogen (combined) used as menopausal therapy, etoposide (CAS No. 33419-42-0), etoposide in combination with cisplatin and bleomycin, methyl isobutyl ketone (CAS No. 108-10-1) and MOPP (vincristine-prednisone-nitrogen mustard-procarbazine mixture) (CAS No. 113803-47-7) -- to the list of chemicals known to the state to cause cancer for purposes of the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 (Proposition 65¹).  The listing of these five chemicals is effective November 4, 2011. 

Health and Safety Code section 25249.8(a) requires that certain substances identified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), as described in Labor Code section 6382(b)(1) and (d), be included on the Proposition 65 list as causing cancer.  Labor Code section 6382(b)(1) references substances identified as human or animal carcinogens by IARC, and Labor Code section 6382(d) references substances identified as carcinogens or potential carcinogens by IARC. 

The basis for the listing of the five chemicals was described in a public notice published in the September 16, 2011, issue of the California Regulatory Notice Register (Register 2011, No. 37-Z).  The title of the notice was “Notice of Intent to List Chemicals by the Labor Code Mechanism:  Estrogen-progestogen (combined) used as menopausal therapy, etoposide, etoposide in combination with cisplatin and bleomycin, methyl isobutyl ketone, MOPP (vincristine-prednisone-nitrogen mustard-procarbazine mixture)”.  The publication of the notice initiated a 30-day public comment period that closed on October 17, 2011.

A complete, updated Proposition 65 list is published elsewhere in this issue of the California Regulatory Notice Register and is available on the OEHHA website.

Chemical Reference

• Estrogen-Progestogen (Combined) used as menopausal therapy
• Methyl Isobutyl Ketone (MIBK)
• Etoposide
• Etoposide in combination with cisplatin and bleomycin
• MOPP (vincristine-prednisone-nitrogen mustard-procarbazine mixture)

Related Notices

• Notice of Intent to List Chemicals: Estrogen–progestogen (combined) used as menopausal therapy, Etoposide, Etoposide in combination with cisplatin and bleomycin, Methyl isobutyl ketone, MOPP (vincristine-prednisone-nitrogen mustard-procarbazine mixture)

  Sep 16, 2011

Footnotes and References

¹Health and Safety Code, section 25249.5 et seq.

²Listing mechanism: LC – “Labor Code” mechanism (Labor Code sections 6382(b)(1) and (d))