n-Hexane Listed as a Reproductive Toxicant under Prop 65

California's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) added n-hexane (CAS Reg. No. 110-54-3) to the list of chemicals known to the State to cause reproductive toxicity under Proposition 65, as of December 15, 2017. Also known as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, Proposition 65 prohibits knowingly exposing any individual to a listed chemical without first providing a “clear and reasonable warning” to such individual. The warning requirements go into effect one year after a chemical is officially listed, which, in the case of n-hexane, is December 15, 2018.

OEHHA’s panel of qualified experts for identifying reproductive toxicants, the Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant Identification Committee (DARTIC), voted to list n-hexane on November 29, 2018, on the basis that the substance is known to cause reproductive toxicity based on the male reproductive endpoint. Reproductive hazard identification by DARTIC is one of several means of listing substances under Proposition 65. More information on DARTIC’s November 29th meeting, including a synopsis and slide presentations, can be found on OEHHA’s website.