Well, here is a controversial topic!  I had noticed that there were several companies proudly stating that they do not use this ingredient in their products.  I saw it noted as a dangerous ingredient on a very reliable website (no names mentioned) and then it really hit home when someone pointed out that this ingredient was in something that I carried in my store!  Well, that was the turning point for me...now I had to do some serious investigation.

Admittedly, I jumped the gun at first and returned the only product in my stock that had that ingredient in it.  Then I started to investigate.  I saw that according to Snopes, The American Cancer Society and the National Institute of Health - it was "urban legend" or simply false that there was any real danger (let alone cancer risk) to this ingredient. being used in things like shampoo or soap.  Upon further investigation I uncovered that some grades of SLS may be contaminated with production by-products (e.g., 1,4- dioxane). That is where the issue is… with the by-product not the ingredient itself. Like most ingredients, there is ‘pharmaceutical’ grade quality and there is ‘industrial’ grade quality.  Further, I consulted with a highly respected authority on green and she too said that the threats were simply "rumours", but that there was risk of irritation.

I would encourage everyone to do a bit of their own research to make their own decisions about the products, their risks and their benefits.

So, overall, I figured that if there is a better option to use (which there seems to be according to several sources I have found) it makes sense that we could avoid the ingredient if for no other reason than because it is so controversial, it just doesn't seem worth it.  I personally thought that even if there is only a little wee bit that is produced under such a careful eye, it is probably best to not add any: so why use it.  It kind of goes along with the thought of someone throwing a gum wrapper onto the ground and comparing it to a landfill site.  Why add to the problem?  Why not find ways to reduce the landfills and not litter at the same time?  So, yes Dioxane is produced by many other methods, but why add even a little wee bit?  Why not work on taking out of the major pollutors?