1,4-Dioxane is a chemical that is used in a number of industries. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) reports it easily dissolves in water and is used primarily as a solvent in the manufacture of chemicals and as a laboratory reagent. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that 1,4-dioxane has been found in groundwater at sites throughout the United States and goes on to share that it is highly mobile and does not readily biodegrade in the environment.

Workers may be harmed from exposure to 1,4-dioxane with the level of exposure depending upon the dose, duration and work being done. Exposure can occur by breathing contaminated air, skin contact, or by drinking water or consuming foods that contain it. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), exposure can harm the eyes, skin, lungs, liver and kidneys, and it may cause cancer. ATSDR reports exposure to high levels of 1,4-dioxane in the air can also result in nasal cavity damage.

NIOSH lists some examples of workers at potential risk of being exposed to 1,4-dioxane, including:

• Employees working in scientific laboratories
  
• Workers exposed to certain types of industrial solvents
  
• Factory workers involved in producing some cosmetics
  
• Workers in paper pulping industries
  

“To protect workers, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set a Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for 1,4-dioxane and NIOSH has a Recommended Exposure Limit (REL),” said Harry Pena, President of Zimmetry Environmental. “Companies and institutions in Puerto Rico that utilize 1,4-dioxane, and other potentially harmful chemicals, can turn to the professionals at Zimmetry for industrial hygiene and environmental testing, monitoring, consulting and training services to identify and mitigate these types of exposure risks. These services protect workers and help to keep entities in regulatory compliance.”

Zimmetry also recently sponsored an educational video about 1,4-dioxane and occupational exposure hazards that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/p7DoxZDPcSw

To learn more about Zimmetry's industrial hygiene, environmental, air quality, compliance and consulting services, please visit www.zimmetry.com, call (787) 995.0005 or email info@zimmetry.com .

About Zimmetry Environmental
Since 2002, Zimmetry Environmental has been providing environmental consulting services to building owners and managers, architects, engineers, EHS professionals and Fortune 500 companies. The company is based in Puerto Rico and provides services across the Caribbean and Central America. The professionals at Zimmetry offer environmental compliance, indoor air quality, asbestos, lead-based paint, Phase I ESAs and general environmental consulting services.

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