A Conversation with Seventh Generation About 1,4-Dioxane

You may have heard the recent talk about a disturbing report released by the Organic Consumers Association (OCA). The report released the findings of an independent study that tested for the presence of 1,4-Dioxane, a fairly harmful toxin, in some popular natural and organic products. The report has left many green business circles in a fluster over what exactly this means, especially since many of the products found to contain traces of this toxin come from very reputable and trusted natural companies.

One such company, Seventh Generation, is a top-seller in our natural products store, The Greater Green, and so I felt it was important to contact Seventh Generation to discuss this issue, as well as some other concerns that have come up simultaneously regarding some ingredients in their products.

I spoke at length with Jason from Customer Service, and we discussed not only the 1,4-Dioxane issue, but concerns over the use of sodium laureth sulfate in many of their products. Here are some of the main points we discussed:

• 1,4-Dioxane is a toxic carcinogen. It is not acceptable that it is present in these products. Many of the companies that were found to have dioxane in one or more of their products have issued a response to the testing. You can read Earth Friendly Products response here.
• Seventh Generation has also issued a response to the OCA's report. Jason and I discussed Seventh Generation's belief that although the presence of this toxin is going to upset many people, it is not an actual ingredient, but a by-product of the ethoxylation process used to turn coconut oil derivatives into surfactants that foam, disperse, and cut grease well. Since this dioxane is a by-product, Seventh Generation was not actually hiding an ingredient, and technically under no (legal) obligation to disclose this. Keep in mind that even seemingly harmless processes, like the ones used to manufacture baking soda, often result in some sort of slight eco-contamination (ammonia is used as a buffer in the Solvay process that creates baking soda). The question is how much toxin is present, and how are these companies going to move forward from here.
• Seventh Generation has acknowledged that they were aware of the presence of dioxane, and have been utilizing processes that filter out as much as possible. Though the fact that they knew dioxane was being created and did not disclose this information to consumers has upset some of their customers, I find it hard to believe that the other companies, who are acting surprised at the findings, were not aware of the byproducts from the processes being used to manufacture their ingredients. I applaud Seventh Generation for honesty here.
• The amount of dioxane detected in Seventh Generation products was in extremely low quantities (Seventh Generation dish liquid had the lowest detected level of 1,4-Dioxane of all the dish liquids, which, by the way, ALL had some level of 1,4-Dioxane in them)
• Why is it that all the dish liquids tested had the Dioxane in them?  The dioxane is a by-product of ethoxylation, a process used to create sodium laureth sulfate (SLES). Though the process uses a very toxic chemical to complete the reaction, the end product is a much milder and less toxic surfactant than before the reaction.
  
• We had a discussion about why Seventh Generation even uses SLES in the first place, since it is a mild irritant. Although it is derived from coconut oil (a natural source), many people steadfastly avoid this chemical, which is created by combining a natural coconut derivative with a product derived from crude oil (not natural). Along with Tom's of Maine, Seventh Generation believes that SLES is not the harmful chemical many people have made it out to be. It is definitely not carcinogenic, as some people might claim, and this can be verified by visiting the American Cancer Society's "Debunking the Myth" page. Jason explained that Seventh Generation believes SLES to be the most powerful and safest naturally-derived (though it is definitely not natural by my definition) chemical at this time. I have to disagree here somewhat- I have used 100% natural cleaners that are very effective. Even baking soda and vinegar are powerful cleaners. But the inclusion of SLES in their products has allowed Seventh Generation to produce cleaners that can compete against the most toxic traditional cleaners out there in terms of effectiveness, without posing any toxic danger to consumers or our planet. They are doing a balancing act here, trying to maintain effectiveness without compromising safety (or is it the other way around?)- but either way, while some consumers are going to jump off of the Seventh Generation tight wire, others will applaud their commitment to quality standards.
• I see it this way. There are two kinds of natural products. There are the wonderfully organic, natural, totally chemical-free products that tend to be less mainstream, but wonderfully effective, mild, and often a bit more expensive (chemicals are cheap, after all). Then there are the more mainstream natural products, that tend to be just as effective as traditional products and quite cost-effective. These mainstream products are targeting consumers who are looking for an alternative to regular cleaners and such, but want something that works just as well and fits in their budget. They are not as concerned about being 100% natural, but rather simply want their products be less toxic for them and less harmful to the earth. Seventh Generation is obviously one of the latter companies. Though I truly believe 100% natural products should be our ultimate goal, I also believe that our society has a blend of consumers who are at different points on the "going natural" spectrum. I know this because I have friends who are still skeptical that natural cleaners work, even though I am a retailer of wonderfully natural products! For consumers like them, brands like Seventh Generation work well. Extremely effective, very natural with some room for improvement in terms of natural ingredients.
• There are many customers who have decided they will stop using Seventh Generation, not just because 1,4-Dioxane was found to be present, but because Seventh Generation knew it was there and did not disclose it until they were caught. I agree that this is a problem. Jason explained it this way: the Dioxane is a by-product of the ethoxylation process, which is used to convert sodium lauryl sulfate into sodium laureth sulfate, a much more mild surfactant, making it safer and less of an irritant. So basically, in making one ingredient more mild, a toxic by-product is created. Seventh Generation uses a stripping process (I believe Jason said it was through boiling?) that removes most of the Dioxane, leaving only 1-2 parts per million (ppm). By comparison, it is common for many traditional beauty and household products to have levels as high as 300 ppm.
• The report is pushing for these brands to remove the word "organic" from their labeling: "Both the OCA and Steinman are calling for misleadingly labeled 'Organic' brands which include ethoxylate ingredients or otherwise utilize petrochemicals in their ingredients, to drop all organic claims from their branding and labeling."  Many of these brands, however, like Seventh Generation, make no claims on their labels to being organic in the first place.
• Finally, I guess I am a little wary of being too harsh on Seventh Generation (although I do believe that some of the other companies that have been using the word "organic" on their labels are more at fault). They are a reputable company that has demonstrated a commitment to environmental sustainability, and are miles ahead of traditional products like Dawn and Tide. If this study makes someone stop using Seventh Generation and start using a totally natural, organic cleaner like Dr. Bronner's, then wonderful! In fact, here at The Greater Green we have decided to feature a selection of Dr. Bronner's organic cleaning products (which I personally have been using for about 6 months now, and love!) starting in April. But if this study makes some consumers think, why bother even using green products if they have toxins in them, and go back to traditional, really toxic products, then what good has the Organic Consumers Association achieved? Perhaps we should spend more time knocking down the really toxic products that fill our grocery stores and are slowly killing our planet.
• FOLLOW-UP: Dr. Bronner's has teamed up with the OCA and released a labeling contract that they are requesting all manufacturers who wish to use the word "organic" on their label to abide by. Though they do not wish to pursue litigation, they are being very clear that they will, should it come to that. Finally!  It is a wonderful step forward in label transparency, as until now, companies have not been regulated in the use of the word "organic", using it at will, causing serious confusion and misunderstanding among consumers. It looks like the dioxane report is going to lead to stricter labeling standards, and that is awesome! You can download the cover letter explaining the contract here.