The following is a list of chemicals published as a requirement of Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, commonly known as California Proposition 65, that are "known to the state to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity" as of January 3, 2020. [1] As a result of lawsuits, the list also contains substances known only to cause cancer in animals. [2]
This list is not exhaustive, as the complete list contains over 900 chemicals. [2]
 | Parts of this article (those related to California Proposition 65 list of chemicals) need to be updated.(November 2024) |
| Substance | CAS Registry Number † | Date removed |
|---|---|---|
| Bisphenol A (BPA) | 80-05-7 | April 11, 2013 |
| Allyl chloride | 107-05-1 | October 29, 1999 |
| Phenyl glycidyl ether | 122-60-1 | April 4, 2014 |
| α-Methyl styrene | 98-83-9 | April 4, 2014 |
| tert-Amyl methyl ether | 994-05-8 | December 13, 2013 |
| n-Butyl glycidyl ether | 2426-08-6 | April 4, 2014 |
| Chloramphenicol | 56-75-7 | January 4, 2013 |
| Chlorodibromomethane | 124-48-1 | October 29, 1999 |
| Chlorsulfuron | 64902-72-3 | June 6, 2014 |
| Cyclohexanol | 108-93-0 | January 25, 2002 |
| Diaminotoluene (mixed) | – | November 20, 2015 |
| Dienestrol | 84-17-3 | January 4, 2013 |
| Diglycidyl ether | 2238-07-5 | April 4, 2014 |
| 2,4-DP (dichloroprop) | 120-36-5 | January 25, 2002 |
| Ethyl-tert-butyl ether | 637-92-3 | December 13, 2013 |
| 2-Ethylhexanoic acid | 149-57-5 | December 13, 2013 |
| Isosafrole | 120-58-1 | December 8, 2006 |
| Methyl isopropyl ketone | 563-80-4 | April 4, 2014 |
| 5-Nitro-o-anisidine | 99-59-2 | December 8, 2006 |
| p,p'-Oxybis(benzenesulfonyl hydrazide) | 80-51-3 | December 13, 2013 |
| Saccharin | 81-07-2 | April 6, 2001 |
| Saccharin, sodium | 128-44-9 | January 17, 2003 |
| para-Toluidine | 106-49-0 | October 29, 1999 |
| 1,3,5-Triglycidyl-s-triazinetrione | 2451-62-9 | December 13, 2013 |
| Tris(aziridinyl)-p-benzoquinone (Triaziquone) | 68-76-8 | December 8, 2006 |
| Zineb | 12122-67-7 | October 29, 1999 |
† Numerical identifier assigned by the Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS)
Comments:
The term carotene (also carotin, from the Latin carota, "carrot") is used for many related unsaturated hydrocarbon substances having the formula C40Hx, which are synthesized by plants but in general cannot be made by animals (with the exception of some aphids and spider mites which acquired the synthesizing genes from fungi). Carotenes are photosynthetic pigments important for photosynthesis. Carotenes contain no oxygen atoms. They absorb ultraviolet, violet, and blue light and scatter orange or red light, and (in low concentrations) yellow light.
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that is an essential nutrient. The term "vitamin A" encompasses a group of chemically related organic compounds that includes retinol, retinyl esters, and several provitamin (precursor) carotenoids, most notably β-carotene (beta-carotene). Vitamin A has multiple functions: growth during embryo development, maintaining the immune system, and healthy vision. For aiding vision specifically, it combines with the protein opsin to form rhodopsin, the light-absorbing molecule necessary for both low-light and color vision.
Retinol, also called vitamin A1, is a fat-soluble vitamin in the vitamin A family that is found in food and used as a dietary supplement. Retinol or other forms of vitamin A are needed for vision, cellular development, maintenance of skin and mucous membranes, immune function and reproductive development. Dietary sources include fish, dairy products, and meat. As a supplement it is used to treat and prevent vitamin A deficiency, especially that which results in xerophthalmia. It is taken by mouth or by injection into a muscle. As an ingredient in skin-care products, it is used to reduce wrinkles and other effects of skin aging.
Toxicity is the degree to which a chemical substance or a particular mixture of substances can damage an organism. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect on a substructure of the organism, such as a cell (cytotoxicity) or an organ such as the liver (hepatotoxicity). Sometimes the word is more or less synonymous with poisoning in everyday usage.
Toxic waste is any unwanted material in all forms that can cause harm. Mostly generated by industry, consumer products like televisions, computers, and phones contain toxic chemicals that can pollute the air and contaminate soil and water. Disposing of such waste is a major public health issue.
Mothballs are small balls of chemical pesticide and deodorant, sometimes used when storing clothing and other materials susceptible to damage from silverfish, mold or moth larvae.
Saccharin, also called saccharine, benzosulfimide, or E954, or used in saccharin sodium or saccharin calcium forms, is a non-nutritive artificial sweetener. Saccharin is a sultam that is about 500 times sweeter than sucrose, but has a bitter or metallic aftertaste, especially at high concentrations. It is used to sweeten products, such as drinks, candies, baked goods, tobacco products, excipients, and for masking the bitter taste of some medicines. It appears as white crystals and is odorless.
Phthalates, or phthalate esters, are esters of phthalic acid. They are mainly used as plasticizers, i.e., substances added to plastics to increase their flexibility, transparency, durability, and longevity. They are used primarily to soften polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Note that while phthalates are usually plasticizers, not all plasticizers are phthalates. The two terms are specific and unique and cannot be used interchangeably.
Proposition 65 is a California law passed by direct voter initiative in 1986 by a 63%–37% vote. Its goals are to protect drinking water sources from toxic substances that cause cancer or birth defects and to reduce or eliminate exposures to those chemicals generally, such as in consumer products, by requiring warnings in advance of those exposures, with the intended goal being that companies choose to reformulate their products without the substances rather than simply providing notice of such substances in their product.
β-Carotene (beta-carotene) is an organic, strongly colored red-orange pigment abundant in fungi, plants, and fruits. It is a member of the carotenes, which are terpenoids (isoprenoids), synthesized biochemically from eight isoprene units and thus having 40 carbons.
The retinoids are a class of chemical compounds that are natural derivatives of vitamin A or are chemically related to it. Synthetic retinoids are used in medicine where they regulate skin health, immunity and bone disorders.
Tar is the name for the resinous, combusted particulate matter made by the burning of tobacco and other plant material in the act of smoking. Tar is toxic and damages the smoker's lungs over time through various biochemical and mechanical processes. Tar also damages the mouth by rotting and blackening teeth, damaging gums, and desensitizing taste buds. Tar includes the majority of mutagenic and carcinogenic agents in tobacco smoke. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), for example, are genotoxic and epoxidative.
Hypervitaminosis A refers to the toxic effects of ingesting too much preformed vitamin A. Symptoms arise as a result of altered bone metabolism and altered metabolism of other fat-soluble vitamins. Hypervitaminosis A is believed to have occurred in early humans, and the problem has persisted throughout human history. Toxicity results from ingesting too much preformed vitamin A from foods, supplements, or prescription medications and can be prevented by ingesting no more than the recommended daily amount.
A nail salon or nail bar is a specialty beauty salon establishment that primarily offers nail care services such as manicures, pedicures, and nail enhancements. Often, nail salons also offer skin care services. Manicures are also offered by general beauty salons, spas, and hotels. People who work at nail salons are usually called nail technicians, manicurists, or nailists.
Diisononyl phthalate (DINP) is a phthalate used as a plasticizer. DINP is typically a mixture of chemical compounds consisting of various isononyl esters of phthalic acid, and is commonly used in a large variety of plastic products.
Diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP) is a commonly used plasticizer used in the production of plastic and plastic coating to increase flexibility. It is a mixture of compounds derived from the esterification of phthalic acid and isomeric decyl alcohols.
Propachlor (2-chloro-N-isopropylacetanilide) is an herbicide first marketed by Monsanto. It was registered for use in the United States during 1965.
The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, commonly referred to as OEHHA, is a specialized department within the cabinet-level California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) with responsibility for evaluating health risks from environmental chemical contaminants.
The Center for Environmental Health (CEH) is an American non-profit organization organization working to protect children and families from harmful chemicals in air, food, water and in everyday products. Its vision and mission are "(A) world where everyone lives, works, learns and plays in a healthy environment; we protect people from toxic chemicals by working with communities, businesses, and the government to demand and support business practices that are safe for human health and the environment." CEH is headquartered in Oakland, California, in the United States, with East Coast offices in Washington, D.C. and North Carolina.
The GreenScreen List Translator is a procedure for assessing chemical hazard used to identify chemicals of concern to prioritize for removal from product formulations. The List Translator assesses substances based on their presence on lists of chemicals associated with human and environmental health hazards issued by a global set of governmental and professional scientific bodies, such as the European Union’s GHS hazard statements and California's Proposition 65.
Companies in every sector of the consumer economy now routinely attach warnings for any of the more than 900 chemicals and elements covered by Proposition 65,...