Lately, the regulatory spotlight has been shining on one particularly confusing chemical in consumer products: 1,4-dioxane. 

Both California and New York have already issued new guidance targeting 1,4 dioxane. These new restrictions will mean that both retailers and suppliers need to pay attention to where the substance may be, and be ready to confirm that it is not in their products at a certain level.  So, we’ve put together a quick look at the reasons behind the urgency around 1,4 dioxane and some tips for how to stay ahead of the curve.  

1,4 dioxane: What is it? And why does it matter? 

1,4-dioxane is a substance that can be created when making detergents, soaps, and creams, and it’s now considered an environmental contaminant and a probable human carcinogen. 1,4-dioxane contamination can occur rather easily – as a byproduct of the manufacturing processes when making these products. It is also intentionally used at higher concentrations as a solvent in industrial manufacturing processes. Studies have also shown that the harmful substance can easily dissolve in water, which means it could be found in unsafe amounts in drinking water.  

All of this has, naturally, made consumers and regulatory bodies worried about finding it in things they use and its possible effects on our health. However a risk evaluation published by the US EPA in 2020 found no unreasonable risks to consumers or bystanders from any conditions of use, including eight consumer uses of surface cleaners, laundry/dishwashing detergents, and paint/floor lacquer where 1,4-dioxane is present as a byproduct.

Regulatory changes and how to keep up 

While there is still a lot of unknown around the future of 1,4 dioxane, specific new regulations have started to gain traction. The Food and Drug Administration had previously encouraged suppliers to minimize 1,4-dioxane content, but New York has now taken a proactive approach by implementing a restriction on dioxane contamination levels in products. As of December 31, 2022, cleaning and personal care products are limited to 2 parts per million (ppm), while cosmetics are limited to 10 ppm. And the cleaning and personal care limit was set to reduce to 1 ppm by December 31, 2023.

1,4-dioxane has also been getting attention because of the California Cleaning Product Right-To-Know Act of 2017. Under this new regulation, it must be disclosed on a products website as a “nonfunctional constituent” when  it's present at or above 10 parts per million (ppm). Since this chemical is also a carcinogen on the California Proposition 65 list, it might be subject to labeling requirements even below this threshold.

There a few simple - but crucial - steps both suppliers and retailers can take to stay ahead of these changes: 

1. Brush up on which product categories are affected by these bans. You can find product categories that are likely to fall under the ban on the NY State Department of Conservation website. 
2. Suppliers: Be ready with specific evidence proving the dioxane content for your products is below the allowable threshold. If a product uses a “ethoxylated” ingredient (commonly employed in the production of personal care, household care products) it might contain a regulated amount of 1,4 dioxane. Determine which products you have contain these ingredients, so you can narrow down which items you need to obtain evidence for and make sure you have that on-hand. 
3. Retailers: Maintain an open-line of communication with suppliers. Your suppliers know their products’ best and have the information you need to prove that the dioxane levels are below allowable thresholds. 

The NY Dioxane Ban, along with evolving regulatory guidelines, can be confusing to navigate and leave more questions than answers. Lean on your suppliers, retailers and regulatory partners to help translate and prepare for these new guidelines as effectively as possible. 

By staying informed and maintaining close collaboration with your partners, you can successfully navigate these regulations, avoid costly fines or product delays, and provide consumers with safe and transparent choices. 

BOULDER, COLO., February 16, 2023 – Smarter Sorting, a leader in using data to transform retail operations from compliance to sustainability, today announced the rebranding of Smarter Sorting to SmarterX^TM.

SmarterX^TM is a retail and consumer goods data company that provides product intelligence, regulatory classifications, and decisioning to retailers, consumer goods companies and the logistics industry. The product intelligence provided by SmarterX helps its clients make, move and market products in the most compliant, efficient, and sustainable ways possible. 

The company’s rebrand and new name follows a year of 3X growth. In 2022, the company added new clients from the retail and consumer goods industries, as well as developing new integrations with retail inventory software and non-profits such as Feeding America. At the same time, SmarterX has relocated its headquarters to Boulder, Colorado, a city known as a magnet for technology companies and sustainability entrepreneurs. 

“We’re proud of our roots and we’re passionate about our evolution.” said Jacqueline Claudia, CEO of SmarterX^TM. “From the start, we focused on helping companies and organizations comply with environmental regulations. Today, we’re achieving our early vision for the company to not only power better waste diversion but also help our clients and their partners, up and down the supply chain, be more efficient and more sustainable.” 

New APIs, including SmarterX’s unique Back of Store Solution (BOSS^TM) APIs, are helping retailers be more sustainable while reducing costs. Moreover, the company’s ability to send valuable data such as fast, accurate shipping classifications is helping companies make better choices when it comes to ecommerce, environmental impact, and supply chain automation.

Dave Andre who recently joined SmarterX as Chief Product and Technology Officer - and has extensive experience including Group CTO at Trustly and Founder & CEO at Cartera - noted that, “The new name, SmarterX, is fitting for a company that helps retailers, brands and supply chain partners in many unique ways make accurate real-time decisions for more sustainable and profitable business.” 

He went on to add, “Our extensive product data, including chemical formulation, computational chemistry analytics, and detailed rules engine, powers the many ways we’re helping our clients. From transportation to storage and from verifying ingredient-free claims to ensuring returns are sustainably handled, SmarterX enables enterprises to make mission-critical product handling decisions that are good for business and the planet.”

About SmarterX

Headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, SmarterX™, formerly known as Smarter Sorting, helps companies make better decisions to make, market, and move consumer products. Its customers include the world’s biggest CPG brands, leading warehouse clubs, big box retail, and national grocery chains. The company’s customers use its Product Intelligence Platform™ to gain product insights and identify how to best handle consumer products across the supply chain, to remain compliant, avoid fines, and reduce their environmental impact. The company has won awards for innovation and impact, including Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas and Most Innovative Companies, BuiltIn’s Best Place to Work, as well as a Real Leader Impact Award and the SEAL Sustainable Innovation Award. Smarter Sorting is an Unreasonable Impact company. Learn more at smarterx.com.

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Media Contact:‍

Natalie Rizk, SmarterX
press@smarterx.com

At SmarterX, we put sustainability into action, especially when it comes to classifying consumer products.

Inaccurate, slow and error-prone classification methods leave:

• Retailers with uncertainty about store level product compliance
• Stakeholders vulnerable to regulatory fines and supply chain delays
• Shipping companies and regulated waste haulers with logistical dilemmas

A platform for peace of mind

The Product Intelligence Platform™️ is a secure, cloud-based database linking our retail partners and brands to fast and accurate regulatory product classifications.

The Product Intelligence Platform™️ is the place where products are classified. It's a platform for retailers and brand manufacturers to collaborate. Retailers can manage all their hazardous and regulated products. Brands have an easy, frictionless way to share their product data. The result: retailers and brands can make decisions using accurate product data.

We recently completed registration for all regulated products for a major retailer with 2,200+ stores. Products registered shot up over 30% in the past 3 months to meet the retailer's registration deadline.

"The registration process was very easy. I didn’t expect our products to be reviewed and approved so quickly - and yet they were. I am very happy with the Product Intelligence Platform!” - Edward Ro, Pureboost

Our Product Intelligence Platform™️ is at the heart of delivering impressive results in three key areas:

1) Accurate product classifications

Brands register their products by entering a few details to get the most accurate product classifications, without revealing confidential information.

2) Instant regulatory and compliance decisions

With the Back of Store System (BOSS), retailers get waste codes, transportation regulations and disposal classifications for every product on their shelves.

3) Detailed EHS reports and insights

Through Tableau dashboards and tracking of EHS/ESG metrics, retailers and brands can access a comprehensive suite of reporting and insights.

With our platform, registering products is simple. Brands can register products one-by-one, or in bulk. Check out our step-by-step product registration guide.

Data from the source

We collect a vast amount of data on everyday consumer products. Currently, we are in the process of registering the entire catalog (3,600+ products) of the world’s largest consumer goods company.

• We only collect product information from trusted sources to make sure we have the most accurate data.
• We only ask for information we need. Full product formulation and proprietary data is likely not required for accurate classification.
• We fill in the gaps with additional product data from trusted sources like SmartLabel, 1WorldSync or Salsify.

Mind your Rs and Cs: Classifications translated into Regulation and Compliance

We are the first to take a computational approach to product classifications. We use machine learning, computational chemistry and regulatory AI to marry our millions of product data points with over 7,000 rules and regulations, some of which are listed below:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

International Air Transport Association (IATA)

Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC)

Department of Transportation (DOT)

California Air Resources Board (CARB)

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG)

A Real Leaders Eco Innovation Award Winner

The Product Intelligence Platform™️ has been recognized by Real Leaders as a Top 50 winner in the 2022 Real Leaders® Eco Innovation Awards, a distinction that celebrates innovative environmental solutions for the greater good.

The Product Intelligence Platform™ is being used by over 1,600 brand manufacturers who supply some of the biggest US supermarket chains and one of the world’s largest warehouse clubs.

Placing product intelligence in the hands of retailers and brands, our Product Intelligence Platform™ is the platform you can trust.

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