Polygorskite fibers and Quizalofop-ethyl Listed as Causing Cancer or Reproductive Toxicity

Chemicals Listed Effective December 24 and 28, 1999 as Known to the State to Cause Cancer or Reproductive Toxicity: Polygorskite fibers and Quizalofop-ethyl

The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) of the California Environmental Protection Agency is adding two chemicals to the list of chemicals known to the State to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity for purposes of the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 (Proposition 65).  The two chemicals are palygorskite fibers (> 5µm in length)and quizalofop-ethyl.  Palygorskite fibers is listed effective December 28, 1999 and quizalofop-ethyl is listed effective December 24, 1999.  The effective listing date for palygorskite fibers is based upon Title 22, California Code of Regulations, Section 12306(i) which provides that the administrative listing of a chemical occurs 60 days after the publication of its Notice of Intent to List.

Palygorskite fibers (> 5µm in length) is listed as a chemical known to the State to cause cancer, pursuant to an administrative listing mechanism provided under the Act, based upon a formal identification by an authoritative body that the chemical causes cancer.  Regulations governing the listing of chemicals under the “authoritative bodies” mechanism are published in Title 22, California Code of Regulations, Section 12306.

The reader is directed to the Notice of Intent to List Chemicals published in the October 29, 1999 issue of the California Regulatory Notice Register (Register 99, No. 44-Z) for the supporting documentation which OEHHA relied upon in making its determination that the criteria for administrative listing had been satisfied.

Two chemicals, quizalofop-ethyl (CAS #75678-14-8) and fenbutatin oxide (CAS #13356-08-6), were considered by the “state’s qualified experts” (the Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant (DART) Identification Committee of the OEHHA Science Advisory Board) at a public meeting held on December 13, 1999.  The DART Identification Committee determined that quizalofop-ethyl was clearly shown, through scientifically valid testing according to generally accepted principles, to cause male reproductive toxicity.  [The DART Identification Committee determined that fenbutatin oxide was not clearly shown, through scientifically valid testing according to generally accepted principles to cause developmental or reproductive toxicity.]  Regulations governing the listing of chemicals by the “state’s qualified experts” (DART Identification Committee) mechanism are published in Title 22, California Code of Regulations (22 CCR), Section 12305(b)(1).

The reader is directed to the Notice to Interested Parties published in the September 17, 1999 issue of the California Regulatory Notice Register (Register 99, No. 38-Z) for the supporting documentation which the Committee relied upon in making its determination that the criteria for listing quizalofop-ethyl have been satisfied.

A complete, updated chemical list is available in the download area below.

In summary, the following chemicals are being listed under Proposition 65 as known to the State to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity:

Carcinogen

Chemical

CAS No.

Listing Mechanism1

Palygorskite fibers
(> 5µm in length)

12174-11-7

AB

Reproductive Toxicity

Chemical CAS No. Toxicological Endpoints Listing Mechanism1
Quizalofop-ethyl 76578-14-8 Male reproductive toxicity SQE

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1Listing mechanism:

AB – “authoritative bodies” mechanism (22 CCR Section 12306)SQE – “state’s qualified experts” mechanism (22 CCR Section 12305(b)(1))