Cleaning out a carcinogenic contaminant

Nobody is putting 1,4-dioxane into shampoo on purpose. It’s a carcinogenic impurity that forms in a side reaction during the production of ethoxylated alcohols, a class of surfactants used in consumer goods. And while that may make the chemical sound like a minor problem, getting it out of detergents and cosmetics is a major issue in the cleaning and personal care industries. Chemical companies that make surfactants have been working to reduce 1,4-dioxane levels for a few years now. The driving force is a New York State law that prohibits the sale of cleaning and personal care products with a 1,4-dioxane concentration higher than 1 part per million (ppm) and cosmetics with a concentration above 10 ppm. The law went into effect at the end of 2022, and the last product waivers, which gave some consumer product makers time to sort out supply chains and sell off old stock, expire