On December 9, 2019, Governor Cuomo signed a bill into law that prohibits the sale of cosmetics, cleaning products, and personal care products that contain 1,4-dioxane (down to trace amounts) in New York State, beginning December 31, 2022.  In 2019, 1,4-dioxane was found in 65 out of 80 products (including shampoos, body washes, baby products, laundry detergents, hand and dish soaps) that CCE had independently tested.

This first-of-its-kind law in the nation will protect public health from exposure to the likely carcinogen and prevent further contamination of our water supply.  Thank you to the thousands and thousands of New Yorkers that signed petitions, wrote letters, made phone calls, and spoke out in support of this law—we could not have done this without you!

1,4-Dioxane Widespread in Long Island Drinking Water

1,4-Dioxane is an emerging contaminant of concern found in Long Island’s groundwater and drinking water. It is a Synthetic Organic Compound (SOC), which is never found in nature. According to CCE’s recent evaluation of public water suppliers across Long Island, Nassau and Suffolk water suppliers have reported the highest levels of 1,4-dioxane contamination in the nation. 1,4-Dioxane is listed as “likely to be carcinogenic to humans,” with a Lifetime Cancer Risk Guideline for drinking water of 0.35µg/L (micrograms per Liter) by the U.S. EPA. The chemical has been linked to tumors of the liver, kidneys, and nasal cavity. The interactive map (above) shows the highest detections of 1,4-dioxane in each water district/distribution area across Long Island.

Learn more at the Citizen Campaign for the Environment.