2000 Accomplishments and Priorities

Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment

The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) protects and enhances public health and the environment by objective scientific evaluation of risks posed by hazardous substances.

Accomplishments during First Half of 2000

1. Reference Exposure Levels. In February, OEHHA’s scientific report containing Chronic Reference Exposure Levels (RELs) for 22 toxic air pollutants was adopted by the Scientific Review Panel (SRP). The report was titled, "Air Toxics Hot Spots Program Risk Assessment Guidelines, Part III. The Determination of Chronic Reference Exposure Levels for Airborne Toxicants." A chronic REL is an airborne level of a pollutant that would pose no significant health risk to individuals exposed at that level for an indefinite period of time. In April, the SRP adopted 16 additional RELs.

2. Public Health Goals. In February, OEHHA released a draft technical support document for proposed Public Health Goals (PHGs) for 12 chemicals in drinking water. The comment period ended on March 15. A PHG is the level of a pollutant in drinking water that poses no health risk to people consuming the water daily over a lifetime. PHGs are used by the Department of Health Services to set state drinking water standards. The 12 proposed PHGs are for aluminum, benzene, carbofuran, carbon tetrachloride, dichloromethane, diquat, nickel, simazine, tetrachloroethylene, thiobencarb, uranium, and vinyl chloride. Publication of the final PHGs is projected for late July, although one or more of the PHGs might not be published until later due to extensive comments that have been received.

3. Fish Advisories. In February, the Contra Costa County Health Services Department issued an interim fish advisory for San Pablo Reservoir based on a study conducted by OEHHA. Elevated levels of mercury were found in largemouth bass; and pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins/furans, and mercury were found in channel catfish and other species of fish in the reservoir.

   In April, OEHHA held a public workshop to discuss and receive public comments on the draft report, "Evaluation of Potential Health Effects of Eating Fish from Black Butte Reservoir (Glenn and Tehama Counties): Guidelines for Sport Fish Consumption." The report represents an evaluation of mercury in fish from Black Butte Reservoir, and provides guidelines for limiting consumption of fish from Black Butte Reservoir, located in Glenn and Tehema Counties.

4. Proposition 65.

   • Additions to Proposition 65 List. In March, OEHHA added two chemicals that cause reproductive harm (pravastatin sodium and methyl chloride) to the Proposition 65 list. In June, OEHHA added three chemicals that cause cancer (chloroprene, cobalt sulfate heptaphydrate, and fenoxycarb) to the list.

   • Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant Identification Committee. In June, the Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant (DART) Identification Committee considered, and rejected, adding sodium nitrite to the Proposition 65 list of chemicals that cause reproductive harm. OEHHA staff compiled a Hazard Identification Document (HID) containing a considerable volume of scientific information on sodium nitrite for the Committee’s consideration.

5. MTBE. In March, OEHHA finalized the report, "Health Effects of Exposure to Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE)". The SRP reviewed and approved the document.

6. Pesticide Regulations. In March, the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) presided over four public hearings on DPR’s proposed regulations regarding the use of methyl bromide to fumigate soil prior to planting agricultural crops. DPR requested comments and scientific consultation from OEHHA on the proposed soil fumigation regulations. OEHHA has shared its draft comments with DPR. During this time, OEHHA also reviewed proposed regulatory changes concerning methyl bromide structural fumigation.

7. Guidelines for Assessing Ecological Risks Posed by Chemicals. In March, OEHHA released for public review the draft report, "Guidelines for Assessing Ecological Risks Posed by Chemicals, Part I." There will be seven parts to this document when it is completed. This introductory chapter provides an overview of the process used to determine ecological threats posed by hazardous substances.

8. Children’s Environmental Health Symposium. In May, OEHHA sponsored a symposium for state scientists on children’s environmental health issues. Top experts on children’s health from throughout the United States were brought together to give presentations on the latest scientific findings about the special susceptibility of children and infants to pollution.

9. Forest Fire Smoke Workshop. In May, OEHHA sponsored a workshop on health issues stemming from wood smoke from forest fires. The workshop provided state, local, and U.S. EPA officials with an opportunity to discuss appropriate measures of exposure, recommendations for protective action, and procedures for providing health warnings to the public during forest fires.

10. Medical Supervisor Training. In June, OEHHA held a medical supervisor training presentation in Kern County. The presentation is part of a program of medical education to alert physicians and other health care professionals to the symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and reporting of pesticide poisoning. OEHHA has received requests for future presentations.

11. Asbestos. OEHHA staff attended public meetings to provide information to interested parties on the toxicity and medical implications of naturally occurring asbestos in El Dorado County. OEHHA is providing scientific support to the Air Resources Board, which is developing rules to reduce human exposure to naturally occurring asbestos.

Priorities for Second Half of 2000

1. Proposition 65.

   • "Authoritative Body" Listings. OEHHA will consider the listing of as many as 19 chemicals under the "authoritative body" mechanism. Proposition 65 allows for the listing of chemicals that are identified as causing cancer or reproductive harm by a scientific body considered to be authoritative by the state.
   • "Formally Required to be Labeled" Listings. OEHHA will consider the listing of as many as 16 chemicals under the "formally required to be labeled or identified" mechanism. Proposition 65 allows for the listing of chemicals that are required by a state or federal agency to be labeled or identified as causing cancer or reproductive harm.
   • Future Candidates for the Carcinogen Identification Committee Consideration. The Carcinogen Identification Committee (CIC) will consider the listing of three chemicals to the Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer. The three chemicals are hexachlorobutadiene, 4-methylquinoline, and MX (3-chloro-4-(dichloromethyl)-5-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone).
   • Future Candidates for the Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant Identification Committee Consideration. The DART Identification Committee will consider the listing of five chemicals to the Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to the State of California to cause birth defects or reproductive harm. The five chemicals are triphenytin hydroxide, metribuzin, chloroform, manganese, and phenol.
   • Development of Safe Harbor Levels. OEHHA will begin a multi-year effort to develop "safe harbor" levels for various chemicals on the Proposition 65 list. A safe harbor level is the level of exposure to a chemical that does not pose a significant risk of cancer or reproductive harm, as defined by Proposition 65. The safe harbor numbers will be enacted in regulation and will help determine whether businesses need to provide Proposition 65 warnings.

2. Proposition 65 Warnings. In February, OEHHA received from the Health Industry Manufacturers Association a petition to develop regulations on how Proposition 65 warnings are to be issued for medical devices. OEHHA will hold a public workshop and consider the development of draft regulations.

3. California’s Environmental Emerging Challenges. OEHHA staff will finalize a report on future environmental challenges that California may face. The report summarizes ideas collected from several workshops and staff forums conducted in late 1999 and early 2000.

4. Registered Environmental Assessor (REA) I/II Program. OEHHA will continue the development of enhancements to the REA Web site and database. These changes will enable applicants to apply for REA registration via the Internet and to update address and Web address information on line. In addition, parties interested in the utilization of an REA will have the capability of using their own search parameters to create a list of REAs by geographic area, area code, area of expertise or any combination of these factors. These enhancements will result in savings of staff and resources by moving toward paperless registration and inquiry processes.

5. Fish Advisories. OEHHA will finalize its draft reports on the presence of mercury in fish in the Black Butte Reservoir in Glenn and Tehama counties and Lake Pillsbury in Lake County. OEHHA will prepare and issue fish advisories as appropriate for those lakes.

6. Physician Pesticide Training. OEHHA will continue training physicians in the reporting, recognition and management of pesticide illness as well as continuing medical supervisor training.

7. Air Toxics Hot Spots. In March, OEHHA released a revised draft document, "Air Toxics Hot Spots Risk Assessment Guidelines Part IV: Exposure Assessment and Stochastic Analysis Technical Support Document" for public and SRP review. This document addresses the risk assessment of airborne pollutants from stationary sources. The document proposes that simple risk assessment approaches be used first and that more complicated stochastic methods should only be employed when necessary. This document is the fourth part of a five-part set of guidelines being developed for use by the local air pollution control districts and will be considered for adoption by the SRP at its July meeting.

8. Public Health Goals. Work is progressing on the development of more than a dozen new PHGs for drinking-water contaminants for the fourth year of the PHG program. Posting of drafts on the OEHHA Web site for public comment is planned for October or November, as in previous years. Peer reviewers will be solicited through the University of California.

9. Spinosad. OEHHA will be hiring staff and proceeding with the initial phases of a three-year project to research and conduct a risk assessment on the use of the new active ingredient spinosad, which is under consideration as an alternative to malathion for urban eradication of agricultural pests such as the Medfly.

10. Multi-Media Risk Assessment. OEHHA will finalize the Multi-Media Risk Assessment Phase I report, "Practices, Needs and Methodologies for Human Exposure Assessment at Cal/EPA". The report will contain results of a survey on current uses of human exposure assessment in programs of Cal/EPA boards and departments. It will also contain summaries of selected resource documents on topics related to exposure assessment.

11. Environmental Indicators. OEHHA will be the lead agency for the development of environmental indicators that will provide an improved understanding of the overall condition of the environment. Environmental indicators also will be used to develop the state’s environmental objectives and evaluate the overall progress and effectiveness of programs managed by the boards and departments within Cal/EPA and the Resources Agency.

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