Parabens Dropped as a Priority Chemical Under New Green Chemistry Regulations – DTSC Updates List of Initial Candidate Chemicals

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On October 18, 2013, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) released an updated “Initial Candidate Chemicals List” – a list of chemicals that will be the first to receive the DTSC’s attention when it identifies “Priority Products” for regulation in 2014 under the new Safer Consumer Products Regulations.

The DTSC first released the list of “Initial Candidate Chemicals” on September 26, 2013, four days before the Safer Consumer Products Regulations implementing California’s Green Chemistry Initiative went into effect.  The Regulations require the list to be updated periodically.  With the update, the number of “Initial Candidate Chemicals” drops from 164 to 155.

The following chemicals were removed from the updated “Initial Candidate Chemicals List,” although each still appears on the “Candidate Chemical List”:

  • 4-Tert-Octylphenol; 1,1,3,3-Tetramethyl-4-butylphenol
  • Bisphenol A diglycidyl ether polymer; [2,2′-bis(2-(2,3-epoxypropoxy)phenyl)-propane]
  • Bisphenol B; (2,2-Bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-n-butan)
  • Bromate
  • Dibromoacetic acid
  • Dichloroacetic acid
  • Dicyclohexyl phthalate and metabolite
  • Diethyl phthalate and metabolite
  • Nonylphenol, nonylphenol ethoxylates (NP/NPEs) (and related substances)
  • Parabens

In addition, Bis(2-chloro-1-methylethyl)ether,technical grade was added to the Initial Candidate List.

Scroll to the bottom of this post for the full list of the 155 priority chemicals, updated as of October 18, 2013.

Chemicals are placed on the “Initial Candidate Chemicals List” if they have both a hazard trait and environmental or toxicological effects.  Chemicals that have only a hazard trait or only environmental or toxicological effects are placed on the more extensive “Candidate Chemicals List,” of which the “Initial Candidate Chemicals List” is a subset.

The updated list of “Initial Candidate Chemicals” is significant in that it removes parabens as a priority chemical.  Parabens are commonly used in cosmetics as a preservative.  The family of parabens on the “Candidate Chemicals List” includes Butylparaben (includes n-butylparaben and isobutylparaben); Ethyl paraben, Ethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate; Methylparaben; Methyl p-Hydroxybenzoate; and n-Propylparaben.

What this means is that parabens will not be targeted by DTSC as a potential “chemical of concern” when the DTSC identifies priority products containing chemicals that will need to be subject to an alternatives analysis and regulatory response.  The DTSC must propose its list of up to five priority products, or categories of priority products, for regulation by April 1, 2014.  However, parabens continue to appear on the DTSC’s exhaustive list of more than 1,016 “Candidate Chemicals” so they may yet draw attention from the DTSC.

Conkle, Kremer & Engel attorneys stay up to date on the latest regulatory developments to provide expert guidance to clients seeking to avoid regulatory compliance issues and the potential liability that may follow.

DTSC list of 155 Priority Chemicals, updated as of October 18, 2013:

1,1,1,2-Tetrachloroethane

1,1,1-Trichloroethane; Methyl chloroform

1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane

1,1,2-Trichloroethane

1,1-Dichloroethane

1,2,3-Trichloropropane

1,2-Diphenylhydrazine; Hydrazobenzene

1,2-Epoxybutane

1,3-Butadiene

1,3-Propane sultone; 1,2-Oxathiolane 2,2-dioxide

1,4-Dioxane

2,2-Bis(bromomethyl)propane-1,3-diol

2,4,6-Trinitro-1,3-dimethyl-5-tert-butylbenzene; musk xylene

2,4,6-Tri-tert-butylphenol

2,4.6-Trinitrotoluene (TNT)

2?Acetylaminofluorene

2-Methylaziridine (Propyleneimine)

2-Methylphenol, o-Cresol

2-Nitropropane

3-Methylphenol; m-Cresol

4,4′-Methylenedianiline; 4,4’-Diaminodiphenylmethane (MDA)

4-Bromophenyl phenyl ether, Bromophenyl Phenyl Ether

4-Nitrobiphenyl

Acetaldehyde

Acetamide

Acrylamide

Acrylonitrile

Allyl chloride

Aluminum

Aniline

Aromatic amines

Aromatic Azo Compounds

Arsenic and inorganic arsenic compounds

Asbestos (all forms, including actinolite, amosite, anthophyllite, chrysotile, crocidolite, tremolite)

Benzene

Benzene, Halogenated derivatives

Benzotrichloride

Benzyl chloride

Beryllium and Beryllium compounds

Biphenyl-3,3′,4,4′-tetrayltetraamine; Diaminobenzidine

Bis(2-chloro-1-methylethyl)ether,technical grade

Bisphenol A

Butylbenzyl phthalate and metabolite

Cadmium and cadmium compounds

Captan

Carbon monoxide

Carbon tetrachloride; CCl4

Catechol

Chlorendic acid

Chlorinated Paraffins

Chlorine dioxide

Chlorite

Chloroalkyl ethers

Chloroethane; ethyl chloride

Chloroprene; 2-chlorobuta-1,3-diene

Chromium hexavalent compounds (Cr (VI)

Chromium trioxide

Cobalt metal without tungsten carbide (including dust and cobalt compounds)

Cresols, Cresol mixtures

Cumene, [ isopropylbenzene]

Cyanide and Cyanide compounds

Cyclotetrasiloxane; Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4)

Diazomethane

Dibutyl phthalate and metabolites

Dichloroethylenes

Dichloromethane; methylene chloride

Diesel engine exhaust

Diethanolamine

Diethyl hexyl phthalate and metabolites

Diisobutyl phthalate and metabolite

Di-isodecyl phthalate and metabolite

Di-isononyl phthalate and metabolites

Dimethyl sulfate

Dimethylcarbamoyl chloride

Dinitrotoluenes

Di-n-Octyl Phthalate and metabolites

Dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane (D6)

Emissions, Cokeoven

Epichlorohydrin; 1-Chloro-2,3-epoxypropane

Ethyl acrylate

Ethylbenzene

Ethylene dichloride; 1,2-Dichloroethane

Ethylene Glycol

Ethylene oxide; oxirane

Ethylene Thiourea

Ethyleneimine, Aziridine

Ethyl-tert-butyl ether

Formaldehyde

Fuel oils, high-sulfur; Heavy Fuel oil; (and other residual oils)

Gasoline (automotive, refined, processed, recovered, and other unspecified fractions)

Glutaraldehyde

Glycol ethers

Glycol ethers acetate

Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), and mixed isomers

Hexachlorobuta1,3-diene

Hexachloroethane

Hexamethylene-1,6-diisocyanate

Hexamethylphosphoramide

HMX

Hydrazine, Hydrazine compounds and salts

Hydrogen sulfide

Jet Fuels, JP-4, JP-5, JP-7 and JP-8

Lead and Lead Compounds

Maleic anhydride

Manganese and manganese compounds

Mercury and mercury compounds

Methanol

Methyl chloride

Methyl isobutyl ketone, Isopropyl acetone; (MIBK)

Methyl isocyanate

Methylene diphenyl diisocyanates

Methylhydrazine and its salts

Methylnaphthalene; 2-Methylnaphthalene

Mineral Oils: Untreated and Mildly Treated

N,N-dimethylformamide; dimethyl formamide

N,N-Dimethylhydrazine

Naphthalene

n-Hexane

Nickel and Nickel Compounds; Nickel refinery dust from the pyrometallurgical process

Nickel oxides

Nickel, metallic and alloys

Nitrate+Nitrite

Nitrobenzene

Nitrosamines

Pentabromophenol

Perfluorochemicals

Petroleum; Crude oil

Phthalic anhydride

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) congeners

Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs)

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-furans (PCDFs) and Furan Compounds

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)

Propylene oxide

Quinoline and its strong acid salts

Silica, Crystalline (Respirable Size)

Stoddard solvent; Low boiling point naphtha – unspecified;

Strong Inorganic Acid Mists Containing Sulfuric Acid

Styrene and derrivatives

Sulfur dioxide

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA)

Tetrachloroethylene; Perchloroethylene; (PERC)

Thallium

Toluene

Toluene Diisocyanates

Trichloroethene (TCE)

Trihalomethanes

Tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCPP)

Tris(2,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate

Tris(2-chloroethyl)phosphate (TCEP)

Vanadium pentoxide

Vinyl acetate

Vinyl Bromide, Bromoethylene

Vinyl chloride; chloroethylene

Xylenes; [o-xylene (95-47-6), m-xylene(108-38-3)and p-xylene (106-42-3)]

 

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