Furfuryl alcohol was recently added to California’s Proposition 65 list of carcinogens, effective September 30, 2016.

• Proposition 65, also known as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, prohibits knowingly exposing any individual to a listed chemical without first providing a “clear and reasonable warning” to such individual.
• Effective September 30, 2016, California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) added furfuryl alcohol (CAS No. 98-00-0) to the list of chemicals known to the State to cause cancer under Proposition 65.  Furfuryl alcohol was listed under the authoritative bodies listing mechanism based on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 2014 report, “Cancer Assessment Document, Evaluation of the Carcinogenic Potential for Furfural and Furfuryl Alcohol.” According to the CDC, furfuryl alcohol is found in processed natural foods, including the oils of chicory and roasted coffee, in yellow leaf tobacco, and in heated skim milk, usually as result of processing.
• Affected stakeholders should ensure compliance with applicable clear and reasonable warnings required under Proposition 65. Keller and Heckman LLP attorneys actively advise clients on compliance issues and enforcement actions related to California’s Prop 65. Should you have any questions, please feel free to email us at prop65@khlaw.com.