National Drinking Water Database
National Drinking Water Database - Chemical Contaminants
Chloroethane
Status: Unregulated - EPA has not established a maximum legal limit in tapwater for this contaminant.
Chloroethane is a volatile solvent used in the manufacture of dyes, drugs, perfumes, insecticides and gasoline additives; it is also used as a refrigerant and anesthetic, and may form in tap water as a result of chlorination.
Detected |
Found above health guidelines |
Found above legal limit |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| States | 19 |
- |
- |
| Water utilities | 75 |
- |
- |
| People Served | 1,362,649 |
- |
- |
Health Concerns for Chloroethane:
- Cancer
- Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
- Developmental/reproductive toxicity
- Ecotoxicology
- Miscellaneous
- Persistence and bioaccumulation
- Neurotoxicity
Chloroethane Exposure by State
Water utilities in 19 states have reported detecting Chloroethane in treated tap water since 2004, according to EWG's analysis of water quality data supplied by state water agencies.
| State | Water Suppliers with Chloroethane contamination | |
|---|---|---|
| Systems | Population | |
| Nebraska | 2 | 514,414 |
| New Jersey | 6 | 306,901 |
| New York | 18 | 219,383 |
| Florida | 2 | 83,165 |
| Massachusetts | 4 | 76,904 |
| Indiana | 6 | 63,655 |
| California | 8 | 43,834 |
| Minnesota | 5 | 23,991 |
| Missouri | 4 | 12,132 |
| Wisconsin | 3 | 7,583 |
| Texas | 6 | 3,679 |
| Delaware | 2 | 2,585 |
| Arkansas | 1 | 2,483 |
| Iowa | 1 | 676 |
| Montana | 1 | 660 |
| North Carolina | 2 | 251 |
| Vermont | 1 | 200 |
| New Hampshire | 2 | 117 |
| Washington | 1 | 36 |
| Total | 75 | 1,362,649 |
The Most Polluted Communities
75 water utilities reported detecting Chloroethane in tap water since 2004, according to EWG's analysis of water quality data supplied by state water agencies
Ranked by highest average Chloroethane level
| Rank | System | Population Served | Positive test results of total reported tests | Average Level (Range) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hollister Ranch Estates Oakland, CA | 100 | 2 of 5 | 3.38 ppb (0 to 13 ppb) |
| 2 | Grand Mound Water Supply Grand Moun, IA | 676 | 1 of 1 | 3.1 ppb (3.1 ppb) |
| 3 | Bluff Dale Wsc Bluff Dale, TX | 1 | 3 of 5 | 3.06 ppb (0 to 7.14 ppb) |
| 4 | Ennis Parc Pleasant Valley, NY | 175 | 1 of 1 | 2 ppb (2 ppb) |
| 5 | Hunters Creek Mobile Home Park Buffalo, NY | 150 | 9 of 14 | 1.9 ppb (0 to 9.41 ppb) |
| 6 | Keithley Beach Subd Warsaw, MO | 240 | 1 of 2 | 1.89 ppb (0 to 3.79 ppb) |
| 7 | Trenton Water Works Trenton, NJ | 205,000 | 1 of 8 | 1.61 ppb (0 to 12.9 ppb) |
| 8 | Cayuga Lake Mobile Home Park Pittsford, NY | 500 | 1 of 2 | 1.55 ppb (0 to 3.1 ppb) |
| 9 | Pleasant Valley Mobile Home Park-Moravia Moravia, NY | 60 | 1 of 2 | 1.35 ppb (0 to 2.7 ppb) |
| 10 | Apple Grove Trailer Park Scottsville, NY | 98 | 1 of 1 | 1.3 ppb (1.3 ppb) |
Testing Summary for Chloroethane
| Are tests routinely required for Chloroethane by federal law? | No |
| Water suppliers reporting tests for Chloroethane (2004-2009): | 21,418 of 47,576 |
| Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (2004-2009): | 0.6 per year |
Cancer
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Possible human carcinogen | California EPA Proposition 65 |
| Cancer - strong evidence | Proposition 65 List of Carcinogens |
| Limited evidence of carcinogenicity | European Union - Classification & Labelling |
| Limited evidence of carcinogenicity | Amer Conf of Gov't Industrial Hygienists - Carcinogens |
| Possible carcinogen | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
| Cancer - not classifiable/not likely to be human carcinogen | Int'l Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - Carcinogens |
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Known human respiratory toxicant | EPA Hazardous Air Pollutants |
| Classified as a high human health priority | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
| Classified as expected to be toxic or harmful | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
| Limited evidence of gastrointestinal or liver toxicity | National Library of Medicine HazMap |
| Limited evidence of musculoskeletal toxicity | US EPA, Air Risk Information Support Center |
| Limited evidence of cardiovascular or blood toxicity | Klaassen, C, 1996 |
| Limited evidence of gastrointestinal or liver toxicity | California EPA, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, 2003 |
| One or more animal studies show effects at moderate doses (low dose studies may be unavailable for this ingredient) | EPA Categorized List of Inert Pesticide Ingredients |
| One or more animal studies show classified as toxic effects at moderate doses (low dose studies may be unavailable for this ingredient) | EPA Toxic Release Inventory PBTs |
Developmental/reproductive toxicity
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Limited evidence of developmental toxicity | Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 2004 |
Ecotoxicology
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Wildlife and environmental toxicity | European Union - Classification & Labelling |
| Wildlife and environmental toxicity | EPA Clean Water Act - Priority Pollutants |
| Not suspected to be an environmental toxin | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Miscellaneous
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Occupational hazards related to handling | European Union - Classification & Labelling |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Not suspected to be bioaccumulative | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Neurotoxicity
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| nervous system - weight of evidence unknown/unassessed/unreview: published lit review or major tox study | National Library of Medicine HazMap |
Government, industry, academic studies and classifications
| government/industry list/academic study | appears on list as | classification(s) |
| European Union - Classification & Labelling | CHLOROETHANE | •Extremely flammable •Extremely flammable •Limited evidence of a carcinogenic effect •Limited evidence of a carcinogenic effect •Harmful to aquatic organisms |
| Amer Conf of Gov't Industrial Hygienists - Carcinogens | ETHYL CHLORIDE (CHLOROETHANE) | •Confirmed animal carcinogen with unknown relevance to humans (ACGIH classification A3) |
| Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics | CHLOROETHANE | • S |
| Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics | CHLOROETHANE | • S |
| Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics | CHLOROETHANE | • S |
| Canada - Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetics Ingredients | CHLOROETHANE | •Prohibited from use in Canadian cosmetics |
| EPA Clean Water Act - Priority Pollutants | CHLOROETHANE | •Priority water pollutant under the Clean Water Act |
| Environment Canada Domestic Substance List | ETHANE, CHLORO- | •This chemical was deemed a high human health priority and was flagged by CEPA for further attention. The chemical is suspected to be carcinogenic and persistent. |
| European Union - Banned or Restricted in Cosmetics | CHLOROETHANE | •Prohibited in EU cosmetics: must not form part of the composition of cosmetic products |
| EPA Hazardous Air Pollutants | ETHYL CHLORIDE (CHLOROETHANE) | •Hazardous air pollutant under Clean Air Act |
| National Library of Medicine HazMap | ETHYL CHLORIDE | •Skin Designation (ACGIH) - Danger of cutaneous absorption (ACGIH): Yes; •Hepatotoxin: Hepatotoxin, Secondary; •Neurotoxin: CNS Solvent Syndrome; •PEL (OSHA) - Permissible exposure limit (OSHA): 1000 ppm; •LC50 - Lethal concentration in 50% of animals tested: 87164 ppm; •TLV (ACGIH) - Threshold limit value (ACGIH): 100 ppm; •Flammability (NFPA) - NFPA flammability code: 0 = will not burn; 1 = must be preheated; 2 = high ambient temp required; 3 = may ignite at ambient temp; 4 = burn readily: 4: burns readily; •IDLH (NIOSH) - Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health: 3800 ppm; •Odor Threshold Low - The lowest concentration at which a substance can be detected or recognized using the sense of smell: 4.2 ppm; |
| Int'l Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - Carcinogens | CHLOROETHANE | •IARC Group 3 (no cancer link) |
| EPA Categorized List of Inert Pesticide Ingredients | CHLOROETHANE | •Pesticide inerts: potentially toxic, testing priority, according to EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) |
| EPA Toxic Release Inventory PBTs | CHLOROETHANE | •Toxic, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Toxics Release Inventory programs |
| California EPA Proposition 65 | CHLOROETHANE (ETHYL CHLORIDE) | •Carcinogen: California Proposition 65 |
| Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 2004 | CHLOROETHANE | •Developmental toxicity hazards: suspected |
| US EPA, Air Risk Information Support Center | CHLOROETHANE | •Musculoskeletal toxicity hazards: suspected |
| Klaassen, C, 1996 | CHLOROETHANE | •Cardiovascular or blood toxicity hazards: suspected |
| California EPA, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, 2003 | CHLOROETHANE | •Gastrointestinal or liver toxicity hazards: suspected |
| Proposition 65 List of Carcinogens | CHLOROETHANE | •Cancer hazards: recognized |
references
| government/industry list/academic study | reference |
| European Union - Classification & Labelling | CPS&Q (Consumer Products Safety & Quality) formely known as ECB (European Chemicals Bureau). 2008. Classification and Labelling: Chemicals: Annex VI of Directive 67/548/EEC through the 31st ATP. |
| Amer Conf of Gov't Industrial Hygienists - Carcinogens | ACGIH (American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists) 2008. ACGIH cancer classification system. www.acgih.org. |
| Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics | AOEC (Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics). 2009. AEOC exposures codes and asthmagen designation. |
| Canada - Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetics Ingredients | Health Canada. 2007. List of Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetic Ingredients. Canada's Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist. March 2007. |
| EPA Clean Water Act - Priority Pollutants | |
| Environment Canada Domestic Substance List | EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry. |
| European Union - Banned or Restricted in Cosmetics | EC (European Commission of the European Union). 1999-2006. Enterprise Directorate-General Pharmaceuticals and Cosmetics. The rules governing cosmetic products in the European Union, Volume 1, "Cosmetics legislation." |
| EPA Hazardous Air Pollutants | EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 2005. Office of Air. The 112(b)1 Hazardous Air Pollutants List (as modified). Last modified: 12 Dec 2005. |
| National Library of Medicine HazMap | NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2006. HazMap — Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Agents. |
| Int'l Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - Carcinogens | IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer). 2008. Overall Evaluations of Carcinogenicity to Humans, as evaluated in IARC Monographs Volumes 1-99 (a total of 935 agents, mixtures and exposures). |
| EPA Categorized List of Inert Pesticide Ingredients | EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 1987 & 2005. Office of Pesticide Programs. Inert (other) Pesticide Ingredients in Pesticide Products - Categorized List of Inert (other) Pesticide Ingredients. |
| EPA Toxic Release Inventory PBTs | EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 1999. Toxics Release Inventory Program. PBT Chemical Rule. |
| California EPA Proposition 65 | California EPA (California Environmental Protection Agency). 9/2008. Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986. Chemicals known to the State to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity. |
| Scorecard.org Toxicity Information | Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Minimal risk Levels for Hazardous Substances. January 2004. http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/mrls.html, California EPA, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. Air Toxics Hot Spots Program Risk Assessment Guidelines, Part III: Technical Support Document 'Determination of Noncancer Chronic Reference Exposure Levels'. Includes all Chronic Reference Exposure Levels (CRELs) adopted by OEHHA as of August 2003 (http://www.oehha.ca.gov/air/chronic_rels/AllChrels.html, plus draft CRELS proposed through March 2004 (http://www.oehha.ca.gov/air/chronic_rels/index.html. |
| Scorecard.org Toxicity Information | US EPA, Air Risk Information Support Center. Health Effects Notebook for Hazardous Air Pollutants. http://www.epa.gov/ttnatw01/hlthef/hapindex.html |
| Scorecard.org Toxicity Information | Klaassen, C., M. Amdur and J. Doull (eds.). Casarett and Doull's Toxicology. The Basic Science of Poisons, 5th Ed. Pergamon Press, NY. 1996. |
| Scorecard.org Toxicity Information | California EPA, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. Air Toxics Hot Spots Program Risk Assessment Guidelines, Part III: Technical Support Document 'Determination of Noncancer Chronic Reference Exposure Levels'. Includes all Chronic Reference Exposure Levels (CRELs) adopted by OEHHA as of August 2003 (http://www.oehha.ca.gov/air/chronic_rels/AllChrels.html, plus draft CRELS proposed through March 2004 (http://www.oehha.ca.gov/air/chronic_rels/index.html., National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances. See Environmental Defense's Suspect Hazard Identification documentation. |
| Scorecard.org Toxicity Information | Proposition 65 List of Carcinogens (July 2004) can be obtained from http://www.oehha.ca.gov/prop65/prop65_list/Newlist.html. |
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