California proposes to delist toxic chemicals
legislative agenda by launching a 30-day public comment period
regarding the removal of three chemicals from the Proposition 65
list of known carcinogenic chemicals, a number of which are used in
cosmetics products.
The California Environmental Protection Agency Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) says it intends to remove isosafrole, a chemical derived from spice essential oils and used primarily in the production of fragrances, 5-nitro-o-anisidine, also commonly used in fragrance production, and and tris(aziridinyl)-p-benzoquinone (triaziquone), used for anti-septic purposes in skin care and soap products.
The OEHHA says it is its intention to remove all these ingredients from its lists of 65 known chemical carcinogenic chemicals in an effort to ensure that these products are not classified with other chemicals that are generally perceived to be more dangerous.
The agency says that these chemicals were added to the Proposition 65 list in October of 1989, after scientific evidence pointed suggested that these chemicals had potential toxic effects in humans.
The chemicals were added to the list because of the potential carcinogenic scope they had shown within the federal Hazard Communication Standard. The organization is now calling for the total removal of 5-nitro-o-anisidine from designation and the classification of isosafrole and tris(aziridinyl)-p-benzoquinone as Group 3.
The upstart is that the reclassification of all three ingredients means that the organization believes these chemicals should be removed from the Proposition 65 list, but that a consultation on public opinion will take place before the proposed delisting.
The OEHHA says that individual or body wishing to comment on this delisting, can send written comments and supporting documentation by post to its offices in Sacramento, California or by email at coshita@oehha.ca.gov.
