SOURCE:
FARMINGDALE -
Environmentalists say many household products like laundry detergent, shampoo, body wash and hand soap are contaminated with a known possible carcinogen called 1,4-dioxane.
Because 1,4-dioxane is a byproduct and not technically an ingredient, manufacturers are not required to put it on their labels.
"It's actually a very disconcerting issue that's come up," says Adrienne Esposito, of Citizens Campaign for the Environment. "It's not about just one product and one exposure. We use all these products usually on a daily basis."
The group says there are products with low or no detectable amounts of 1,4-dioxane.
There is legislation making its way through the state Legislature that would ban the 1,4-dioxane byproduct from all household items.