The North Carolina Environmental Management Commission announced on March 17 that it will hold three public hearings to gather comments on proposed rules aimed at monitoring and reducing 1,4-dioxane, a substance considered likely to cause cancer and found in wastewater discharged into the state’s surface waters from certain facilities.
The hearings are part of a public comment period that began March 16. The commission said the goal is to address concerns about the presence of 1,4-dioxane in industrial discharges and its potential impact on water quality and public health.
The first hearing is scheduled for April 9 at St. Stephens Library in Catawba County. The second will take place April 14 at Fayetteville Technology Community College, and the third is set for May 12 at Guilford Technical Community College in Jamestown. Registration for each event begins one hour before the meeting starts.
In addition to oral comments during the hearings, written feedback can be submitted by email or postal mail through June 15. The commission is seeking input not only on the proposed rules but also on whether a detection threshold higher than the current lowest reported concentration (1 microgram per liter) should trigger ongoing monitoring and planning requirements. It also asks if monitoring and reduction requirements should apply more broadly beyond currently specified industrial classifications.
The proposed rules would require direct industrial dischargers and significant indirect users who detect 1,4-dioxane in their wastewater to develop plans for reducing these discharges into surface waters. Copies of the draft regulations are available online for review.
Broader participation from stakeholders is encouraged as the commission considers both regulatory impacts and specific technical questions related to implementation. Time limits may be imposed during meetings depending on attendance, but written statements will be accepted throughout the process.
