go to download area

The California Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) is the lead agency for the implementation of the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 (Proposition 65).

The Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant (DART) Identification Committee of OEHHA's Science Advisory Board advises and assists OEHHA in compiling the list of chemicals known to the State to cause reproductive toxicity, which is mandated by Health and Safety Code Section 25249.8. The Committee serves as the State's qualified experts for rendering an opinion whether a chemical has been clearly shown, through scientifically valid testing according to generally accepted principles, to cause reproductive toxicity.

In a public notice published in the California Regulatory Notice Register (CRNR) (Register 99, No. 29-Z) on July 16, 1999, OEHHA requested information in relation to the preparation of the draft hazard identification document on sodium nitrite to be considered by the DART Identification Committee. The data call-in initially was to end on August 16, 1999. In response to requests to extend the data call-in period, in a public notice published in the CRNR (Register 99, 34-Z) on August 20, 1999, the period was extended until September 15, 1999. Information was received from the public for sodium nitrite and was reviewed in preparation of the draft hazard identification document.

Sodium nitrite was previously under consideration for listing through the authoritative bodies mechanism of Proposition 65 because it was formally identified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as causing developmental toxicity under that agency's Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) program. After publication of the notice of intent to list sodium nitrite via this mechanism, it was determined that the scientific criteria specified in Title 22, California Code of Regulations, Section 12306(g) (22 CCR 12306(g)) had not been met. Accordingly, as required by 22 CCR 12306(i), sodium nitrite has been referred to the DART Identification Committee in order for the Committee to determine if sodium nitrite has been clearly shown by scientifically valid testing according to generally accepted principles to cause reproductive toxicity.

OEHHA has prepared the draft hazard identification document and announces the availability of the draft document entitled, "Evidence on the Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity of Sodium Nitrite," for public comment. This notice marks the beginning of a 60-day public comment period. Comments should be directed to:

Cynthia Oshita
Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment
301 Capitol Mall, 2nd Floor
Sacramento, California 95814
FAX (916)327-1097

In order to be considered, comments must be postmarked (if sent by mail) or received at OEHHA (if hand-delivered or sent by FAX) by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 2, 2000.

OEHHA will organize and index the comments received and forward the information to the DART Identification Committee members approximately two weeks prior to the next meeting of the DART Identification Committee at which sodium nitrite will be discussed. It is scheduled for Friday, June 2, 2000, at the Elihu Harris State Building, 1515 Clay Street, Auditorium in Oakland, California. The meeting will begin at 10:00 a.m. and end when all business has been conducted or at 5:00 p.m.

Copies of the draft document are available from the Proposition 65 Implementation office and may be requested by calling (916) 445-6900.

Follow this link to download a copy of the draft hazard identification document "Evidence on the Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity of Sodium Nitrite"

Click here to download a copy of this notice as a PDF file.

You will need the free program Adobe Acrobat Reader to view or print PDF files

For questions regarding Proposition 65, please contact the Cynthia Oshita in the Proposition 65 Implementation Program

For help with this web site please contact the Web Mistress