This is my in depth explanation of NYS's environmental law (Articles 35 and 37) which put serious restrictions on harmful chemicals, specifically 1,4-dioxane, that exist in our everyday cleaning products and cosmetics.
These laws were passed in 2019 and went into effect January 1st 2023. These laws required manufacturers to get 1,4-dioxane in their products below 10 ppm (parts per million) for cosmetics and 2 ppm for personal and household cleaning products (think shampoo and laundry detergent).
This means that producers in this industry were given about two and a half years to comply with the new NYS restrictions.
However, in early 2022, a small detergent company called Ingredients Matters @ingredientsmatter3424 tested a small batch of detergents to see if they complied. This date is important because they tested detergents that were NOT compliant since the restrictions did not go into place until 2023. The misleading part is Ingredient's Matters published this report mid-January of 2023, right after the law went into effect, which sparked fear and confusion among consumers. If Ingredient's Matters had tested products AFTER the due date this would not be a story at all! I guess that didn't matter much to them since their packaging includes 5 mentions of how their product is dioxane free.
This press release, which has now been removed from the internet and their website, unleashed an enormous amount of content by 'cleaning creators' that specific brands (Tide, Gain, All, 7th Gen, and Arm & Hammer) were ILLEGAL and should not be on the shelves. However these creators did not pay close enough attention to the timeline or do their own research.
Luckily @consumerreports tested detergents from AFTER the deadline and found that all was well! The products they tested were below the compliance regulations !!!
After speaking with just about everyone I could, the NYS DEC, P&G, Ingredient's Matters, and ACI (American Cleaning Institute) here are my thoughts:
1) NYS should have done a better job letting consumers know which products did not comply. Especially since they had a lab on board since 2020 creating a procedure for this law.
2) Ingredient's Matters should have clarified the timeline of testing in their press release and/or created a follow up press release explaining their testing more thoroughly.
3) Cleaning product manufactures missed a golden opportunity to turn a negative PR situation into one of proactive communication.
I hope this piece helps you feel more informed about this law and the products that help keep your home clean. Happy cleaning :)
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