The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is soliciting public comments on the “2023 Draft Supplement to the 1,4-Dioxane Risk Evaluation” that will be submitted to the Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC) for peer review.
1,4-dioxane is on the Fourth Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List and is not currently regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act. It has contaminated groundwater and surface water sources of drinking water.
Groundwater contamination has resulted from its use in manufacturing processes. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry has found that 1,4-dioxane can easily travel into groundwater because of its extreme solubility in water and not sticking to soil particles.
1,4-dioxane is a synthetic industrial chemical, typically used as a stabilizer for chlorinated solvents, and was phased out in 1985 when scientists identified it as an ozone-depleting substance. It is not typically added to consumer products but may be an unintentional byproduct in certain plastics as a trace contaminant in certain ingredients for detergents, foaming agents, emulsifiers, solvents, and laxatives.
New York became the first state to regulate 1,4-dioxane in 2019 by establishing maximum contaminant limits of 10 ppb (parts per billion) in cosmetics and 2 ppb in personal care and household cleaning products.
The SACC will consider and review the draft supplement at a virtual public meeting September 12-15, 2023. Written comments can be submitted and must be identified by docket identification number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2022-0905 through the Federal eRulemaking Portal.
Information on how to register and access the virtual public meeting can be accessed on the SACC website.