Fact Sheets on 1,4-Dioxane and PFAS and PFOA
1,4-Dioxane Fact Sheet
Our Commitment to Water Quality
The Roslyn Water District’s commitment to providing our community with high-quality water is unwavering. We take an immense amount of pride and dedication in providing consumers with water that meets or surpasses all federal, state, and local standards. Whenever there is a need for treatment, we invest what is necessary to ensure the safety and quality of our water.
What is 1,4-Dioxane?
1,4-Dioxane is a synthetic chemical historically used as a stabilizer for industrial solvents, predominantly 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA), which was banned in the 1990s and is no longer used for this type of application. Apart from the widespread use as a solvent stabilizer from the 1950s through the 1990s, it is used in small concentrations in a variety of applications, such as inks, adhesives, and pharmaceuticals. According to the EPA, “traces of 1,4-Dioxane may be present in some food supplements, food containing residues from packaging adhesives, or on food crops treated with pesticides that contain 1,4-Dioxane” as well as “in some consumer products (deodorants, shampoos and cosmetics)”
How Does 1,4-Dioxane Get into Drinking Water?
Just like other water suppliers on Long Island, the District relies on groundwater for its drinking water supply. 1,4-Dioxane has reached that groundwater primarily because of industrial manufacturing operations on Long Island that used TCA stabilized by 1,4-Dioxane from the 1950s to 1990s. Once, 1,4-Dioxane has reached the ground from routine spills or disposal straight to the soil, it could migrate to the groundwater and persist for many years. Additionally, if and when 1,4-Dioxane is present in food products and packaging or in household products (such as shampoo or cosmetics), it can contribute to ongoing and future contamination as it gets washed down the drain and seeps into the ground, eventually entering Long Island’s aquifer.
Is 1,4-Dioxane Regulated?
There is currently no chemical-specific federal or New York State drinking water standard for 1,4-Dioxane. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPS) has listed 1,4-Dioxane as a probable human carcinogen, but at present the EPA has not yet established water quality standards for the compound”
The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) currently regulates 1,4-Dioxane as an unspecified organic contaminant (UOC). UOCs have a blanket maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 50 parts per billion (ppb). Every Long Island water supplier is below that level.
In December 2018, the New York State Drinking Water Quality Council proposed a recommended drinking water quality MCL of 1.0 part per billion (ppb). NYSDOH is reviewing this recommendation and preparing draft standards for regulating 1,4-Dioxane. The Commissioner of Health may consider a higher or lower MCL based on additional review of health impact data.
What Actions Are Being Taken to Address 1,4-Dioxane?
While the State is finalizing its process of establishing a new standard, we have taken every precaution necessary to test, monitor and assess all water sampling for 1,4-Dioxane. The processes for removing 1,4-Dioxane are complex, expensive, and still being tested. Like other public water providers on Long Island, we are investing in proactive actions to implement effective wellhead treatment as soon as practicable. We are also suing the manufacturers- who knew or should have known that their products would cause the contamination- so that the treatment costs don’t ultimately fall on our consumers.
What sort of Treatment is Required?
Pilot studies undertaken by Long Island water providers have demonstrated that Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) effective removes 1,4-Dioxane from drinking water, but further State approvals, along with comprehensive testing and quality control, are required before water providers can start implementing this new technology.
When Will Treatment Be Implemented?
While the State Health Department is still deciding what the standard for 1,4-Dioxane will be, we are undertaking proactive action to position the District to implement effective wellhead treatment as soon as we can. Together with other Long Island water providers, we are already working closely with the Department, as well as engineers and the equipment manufacturers, to ensure that the treatment processes and equipment needed to meet that standard are available as quickly and safely as practicable.
Are there Any Health Risks Associated with 1,4-Dioxane?
The EPS has listed 1,4-Dioxane as a probable human carcinogen and estimated the concentration of 1,4-Dioxane in water corresponding to an increased lifetime cancer risk of one-in-a-million, assuming consumption of 2 liters of water per day every day for a lifetime 70 years, which is 0.35ppb. This health-protective criterion is often used as a non-regulatory benchmark for minimal risk.
The Federal Consumer Product Safety Commission (FCPSC) continues to monitor for 1,4-Dioxane in consumer products, and legislation has been proposed to regulate and restrict chemicals such as 1,4-Dioxane. Many personal care product companies are beginning to voluntarily remove this chemical from their products.
What About Home Water Treatment Devices and Bottled Water?
Regulations for 1,4-Dioxane in bottled water (which are enforced by the FDA) have not been developed. Bottled water manufacturers may have specific information on 1,4-Dioxane levels for their products. At present there are no certified home water treatment devices available for the removal of 1,4-Dioxane.
Where Can I Find More Information About 1,4-Dioxane?
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). “Dioxane – NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards” https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0237.html
Where Can I find Information About My Water Quality?
Our tap water continues to be of the highest quality possible and meets or surpasses all local, state and federal testing standards. Consumers can access our by clicking annual drinking water quality report.
For additional information, please visit UPSEPA’s website at www.epa.gov. or contact us at (516) 621-7770.
PFAS Fact Sheet
Our Commitment to Water Quality
The Roslyn Water District’s commitment to providing our community with high-quality water is unwavering. We take an immense amount of pride and dedication in providing consumers with water that meets or surpasses all federal, state, and local standards. Whenever there is a need for treatment, we invest what is necessary to ensure the safety and quality of our water.
What are PFAS?
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”) are a group of man-made chemical that includes PFOA, PFOS, GenX, and many others. PFAS have been manufactured and used in a variety of industries around the globe, including in the United States since the 1940s. PFOS have been the most extensively produced and studied of these chemicals. Both chemicals are very persistent in the environment and in the human body- meaning they don’t break down and they can accumulate over time. There is evidence that exposure to PFAS can accumulate over time in the human body and lead to adverse health effects, including increased risk for adverse effects on the immune system, reproductive and developmental harms, liver and kidney disorders, and cancer (for PFOA).
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S.EPA) has set a lifetime human health advisory level for PFOA and PFOS in drinking water of 70 parts per trillion (ppt).
How Do PFAS Chemicals Get into Drinking Water?
Public water providers on Long Island rely on groundwater for their drinking water supply. PFOA and PFOS have been used in the production of a wide range of products, like Teflon, Scotchguard, water-resistant clothing, food packaging, and specialized firefighting foam. PFAS can get into the groundwater as a result of those products decomposing in landfills or washing down the drain, and from manufacturing processes and firefighting activities. Once PFAS reach the groundwater, they persist for many years.
Long Island water providers are taking proactive steps to monitor, and as necessary, remove this compound from water supplies to ensure that drinking water meets all applicable local, state and federal water quality standards.
Are These Chemicals Regulated?
There is currently no chemical-specific Federal or New York State drinking water standard for PFOA, PFOS, or any other PFAS compounds. The U.S. Environmental Protections Agency (EPA) set health advisory levels for both PFOA and PFOS at 70 parts per trillion (“PPT”).
The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) currently regulates PFAS compounds as unspecified organic contaminants (UOCs). UOCs have a blanket maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 50 parts per billion (ppb). Every Long Island public water supply well is below that level.
What Actions are Being Take to Address PFAS?
While the State is finalizing its process of establishing new drinking water standards for PFOA and PFOS, we have taken every precaution necessary to test, monitor, and assess all water sampling for those compounds. Like other public water providers on Long Island, we are investing in proactive actions to implement effective wellhead treatment as soon as practicable.
What Sort of Treatment is Required and When Will It Be Implemented?
There are several specialized treatment methods proven to remove PFAS: granular activated carbon (GAC), reverse osmosis, and anion exchange. Each of these treatment processes is complex, sensitive to the presence of co-occurring contaminants, and requires frequent calibrations and treatment media replacement.
While the State Health Department is still deciding what the standard for PFOA and PFOA will be, we are undertaking proactive action to position the District to implement effective wellhead treatment as soon as we can. Together with other Long Island water providers, we are already working closely with the Department, as well as engineers and the equipment manufacturers, to ensure that the treatment processes and equipment needed to meet that standard are available as quickly and safely as practicable.
What About Home Water Treatment Devices And Bottled Water?
Regulations for PFAS in bottled water (which are enforced by the FDA) have not been developed. Bottled water manufacturers may have specific information on PFAS levels for their products. At present, there are no home filter systems certified to treat PFAS to below 10 ppt, however, NSF international certifies filters to reduce PFOA and PFOS in drinking water below the EPA’s 70 ppt standard. NSF in an independent, accredited organization that tests and certifies products and systems to protect and improve human health. To know if a filter is NSF-certified for the removal of PFOA and PFOS, look for NSF P473 or NSF Certified to Standard P473 on the product, packaging or specifications. Two types of filters recommended are granulated activated carbon (GAC) and reverse osmosis (RO) filters.
Where Can I Find More Information about PFAS?
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Per- and polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
And Your Health, https://www.atsdr_cdc.gov/pfas
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), https://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/108831_html.
Where Can I find Information About My Water Quality?
Our tap water continues to be of the highest quality possible and meets or surpasses all local, state and federal testing standards. Consumers can access our annual drinking water quality report from our website at: www.roslynwater.org.
For additional information, please visit UPSEPA’s website at www.epa.gov or contact us at (516) 621-7770.
