Metribuzin: Candidate for Listing via the Authoritative Bodies Mechanism Being Referred to Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant Identification Committee

Feb 11, 2000

The Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 (Proposition 65) provides two mechanisms for administratively listing chemicals which are known to the State to cause reproductive toxicity or cancer (Health and Safety Code Section 25249.8(b)). One such mechanism involves the listing of chemicals that a body, considered to be authoritative by the state's qualified experts, formally identifies as causing cancer or reproductive toxicity. As the lead agency for the implementation of Proposition 65, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) of the California Environmental Protection Agency reviews candidates for listing pursuant to this administrative mechanism as provided in Health and Safety Code Section 25249.8(b) and Title 22, California Code of Regulations, Section 12306 (22 CCR 12306).

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), an authoritative body for purposes of Proposition 65 (22 CCR 12306(l)), identifies chemicals as causing developmental or reproductive toxicity in implementing its Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) program (i.e., Section 313 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA)). On this basis the U.S. EPA, in 1994, added a number of chemicals to the TRI list and published its inclusions to the list in the Federal Register (59:1788-1859, 1994 and 59:61432-61485, 1994). OEHHA has reviewed the bases for these TRI chemical additions in the context of the regulatory criteria governing Proposition 65 listing via the authoritative bodies mechanism (22 CCR 12306).

OEHHA determined for several TRI chemicals that the 22 CCR 12306 regulatory criteria were met and have placed these chemicals on the Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to cause reproductive toxicity. OEHHA continues the process of considering the remaining chemicals for placement on the Proposition 65 list of chemicals. Metribuzin is one of these remaining TRI chemicals. There is significant ambiguity in the record regarding how U.S. EPA characterizes the reproductive toxicity of metribuzin. Therefore, metribuzin is no longer under consideration for administrative listing. Metribuzin will be referred to the Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant (DART) Identification Committee. At a future meeting, the DART Identification Committee will opine whether "the chemical has been clearly shown through scientifically valid testing according to generally "to cause reproductive toxicity.

TRI chemical being referred to the DART Identification Committee for its consideration under Proposition 65:

Chemical	CAS No
Metribuzin	21087-64-9

A document providing more detail on the basis for this determination can be obtained from OEHHA's Proposition 65 Implementation Office at the address and telephone number indicated below, or from the OEHHA Home Page at: /. Questions regarding this notice should be directed to:

Ms. Cynthia Oshita
Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment
Post Office Box 4010
Sacramento, CA 95812-4010
Fax No.: (916) 327-1097
Telephone: (916) 445-6900