National Drinking Water Database
National Drinking Water Database - Chemical Contaminants
Heptachlor epoxide
Status: Regulated - EPA has established a maximum legal limit in tapwater for this contaminant.
Heptachlor epoxide is a beakdown product of heptachlor, a highly toxic and carcinogenic termiticide banned from most applications in the U.S. since 1988. [read more]
Detected |
Found above health guidelines |
Found above legal limit |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| States | 11 |
11 |
1 |
| Water utilities | 62 |
62 |
1 |
| People Served | 2,141,168 |
2,141,168 |
209 |
Health Concerns for Heptachlor epoxide:
- Cancer
- Occupational hazards
- Persistence and bioaccumulation
- Endocrine disruption
- Developmental/reproductive toxicity
- Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
- Ecotoxicology
Heptachlor epoxide Exposure by State
Water utilities in 11 states have reported detecting Heptachlor epoxide in treated tap water since 2004, according to EWG's analysis of water quality data supplied by state water agencies.
| State | Water Suppliers with Heptachlor epoxide contamination | Water suppliers reporting Heptachlor epoxide above health-based limits | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Systems | Population | Systems | Population | |
| Hawaii | 2 | 713,330 | 2 | 713,330 |
| Nebraska | 2 | 513,932 | 2 | 513,932 |
| Florida | 12 | 390,437 | 12 | 390,437 |
| Delaware | 1 | 201,000 | 1 | 201,000 |
| New York | 3 | 154,800 | 3 | 154,800 |
| Illinois | 17 | 79,893 | 17 | 79,893 |
| North Carolina | 21 | 39,874 | 21 | 39,874 |
| Kentucky | 1 | 34,650 | 1 | 34,650 |
| Alabama | 1 | 12,954 | 1 | 12,954 |
| Maryland | 1 | 184 | 1 | 184 |
| Indiana | 1 | 114 | 1 | 114 |
| Total | 62 | 2,141,168 | 62 | 2,141,168 |
The Most Polluted Communities
62 water utilities reported detecting Heptachlor epoxide in tap water since 2004, according to EWG's analysis of water quality data supplied by state water agencies
Ranked by highest average Heptachlor epoxide level
| Rank | System | Population Served | Positive test results of total reported tests | Average Level (Range) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | M/H Park Inc. (Fka - Lee's Mhp) Lake City, FL | 80 | 4 of 5 | 0.06 ppb (0 to 0.12 ppb) |
| 2 | Luke / Newpage Luke Mill Luke, MD | 184 | 3 of 11 | 0.05 ppb (0 to 0.2 ppb) |
| 3 | Ashebrook Park Gastonia, NC | 239 | 12 of 16 | 0.05 ppb (0 to 0.09 ppb) |
| 4 | Amber Acres Knightdale, NC | 209 | 12 of 15 | 0.05 ppb (0 to 0.41 ppb) |
| 5 | Westwood S/D Holiday, FL | 200 | 6 of 8 | 0.04 ppb (0 to 0.08 ppb) |
| 6 | Mathersville Mathersville, IL | 779 | 1 of 2 | 0.03 ppb (0 to 0.07 ppb) |
| 7 | Royal Acres S/D Raleigh, NC | 67 | 9 of 10 | 0.03 ppb (0 to 0.05 ppb) |
| 8 | Braxton Hills/Simmons Heights Fayetteville, NC | 698 | 4 of 4 | 0.03 ppb (0.02 to 0.05 ppb) |
| 9 | Orangewood Water System Holiday, FL | 5,937 | 12 of 15 | 0.03 ppb (0 to 0.05 ppb) |
| 10 | Dalewood-Monteray Wtr System Gastonia, NC | 142 | 5 of 7 | 0.02 ppb (0 to 0.05 ppb) |
Health Based Limits for Heptachlor epoxide
| Standard | Description | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum Contaminant Limit Goal (MCLG) | A non-enforceable health goal that is set at a level at which no known or anticipated adverse effect on the health of persons occurs and which allows an adequate margin of safety. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. | 0 ppb |
| EPA Human Health Water Quality Criteria | Water quality criteria set by the US EPA provide guidance for states and tribes authorized to establish water quality standards under the Clean Water Act (CWA) to protect human health. These are non-enforceable standards based upon exposure by both drinking water and the contribution of water contamination to other consumed foods. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. | <0.01 ppb |
| One in one million (10-6) Cancer Risk | The concentration of a chemical in drinking water corresponding to an excess estimated lifetime cancer risk of 1 in 1,000,000. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. | <0.01 ppb |
| California Public Health Goals | Defined by the State of California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) as the level of contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. For acutely toxic substances, levels are set at which scientific evidence indicates that no known or anticipated adverse effects on health will occur, plus an adequate margin-of safety. PHGs for carcinogens or other substances which can cause chronic disease shall be based solely on health effects without regard to cost impacts and shall be set at levels which OEHHA has determined do not pose any significant risk to health. | <0.01 ppb |
| Maximum Contaminant Limit (MCL) | The enforceable standard which defines the highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to health-based limits (Maximum Contaminant Level Goals, or MCLGs) as feasible using the best available analytical and treatment technologies and taking cost into consideration. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. | 0.2 ppb |
| One in ten thousand (10-4) Cancer Risk | The concentration of a chemical in drinking water corresponding to an excess estimated lifetime cancer risk of 1 in 10,000. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. | 0.4 ppb |
| Drinking Water Equivalent Level | A lifetime exposure concentration protective of adverse, noncarcinogenic health effects, that assumes all of the exposure to a contaminant is from drinking water. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. | 0.4 ppb |
| Children's health-based limit for 1-day exposure | Concentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse, noncarcinogenic health effects for up to one day of exposure. The One-Day health-based limit (or Health Advisory, HA) is typically set to protect a 10-kg child consuming 1 liter of water per day. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. | 10 ppb |
Testing Summary for Heptachlor epoxide
| Are tests routinely required for Heptachlor epoxide by federal law? | Yes |
| Water suppliers reporting tests for Heptachlor epoxide (2004-2009): | 20,016 of 47,576 |
| Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (2004-2009): | 0.4 per year |
Violation Summary for Heptachlor epoxide
Data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency includes the following violations of federal standards for Heptachlor epoxide since 2004
| Maximum Contaminant Level Exceedance Violations | 1 |
| Monitoring Violations | 1,692 |
| Reporting Violations | 0 |
Cancer
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Possible human carcinogen | EPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) |
| 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 |
| One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results | RTECS®- Mutation Research 1977 |
Occupational hazards
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Allowed workplace exposures restricted to very low doses | RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2007 |
| Allowed workplace exposures restricted to low doses | European Union - Classification & Labelling |
| Strong evidence of occupational hazards | European Union - Classification & Labelling |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Persistent, bioaccumulative in wildlife | Great Lakes BTS (Binational Toxics Strategy) PBTs |
| Persistent, bioaccumulative in wildlife | OSPAR PBTs - Substances of Possible Concern |
| Persistent, bioaccumulative in wildlife | EPA PBTs - Waste Minimization Program (RCRA) |
Endocrine disruption
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Limited evidence of endocrine disruption | Illinois EPA, 1997 |
| endocrine - weight of evidence unknown/unassessed/unreview: published lit review or major tox study | Illinois EPA Chemicals Associated with Endocrine System |
| endocrine - weight of evidence unknown/unassessed/unreview: published lit review or major tox study | Our Stolen Future Endocrine Disruptors |
Developmental/reproductive toxicity
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Limited evidence of renal toxicity | CHE Toxicant and Disease Database |
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Classified as toxic or harmful | European Union - Classification & Labelling |
Ecotoxicology
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| Wildlife and environmental toxicity | European Union - Classification & Labelling |
| Wildlife and environmental toxicity | EPA Clean Water Act - Priority Pollutants |
| Wildlife and environmental toxicity | Illinois EPA Chemicals Associated with Endocrine System |
Government, industry, academic studies and classifications
| government/industry list/academic study | appears on list as | classification(s) |
| European Union - Classification & Labelling | HEPTACHLOR EPOXIDE | •Toxic •Toxic if swallowed •Limited evidence of a carcinogenic effect •Limited evidence of a carcinogenic effect •Danger of cumulative effects •Dangerous for the environment •Very toxic to aquatic organisms |
| Amer Conf of Gov't Industrial Hygienists - Carcinogens | HEPTACHLOR AND HEPTACHLOR EPOXIDE | •Confirmed animal carcinogen with unknown relevance to humans (ACGIH classification A3) |
| EPA Clean Water Act - Priority Pollutants | HEPTACHLOR EPOXIDE | •Priority water pollutant under the Clean Water Act |
| Illinois EPA Chemicals Associated with Endocrine System | HEPTACHLOR EPOXIDE | •EPA: probable endocrine disruptor |
| EPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) | HEPTACHLOR EPOXIDE | •Group B2: Probable human carcinogen - sufficient data in animals (EPA classification) |
| European Commission on Endocrine Disruption | HEPTACHLOR-EPOXIDE | HH-CAT3a;WF-CAT3b |
| European Union - Banned or Restricted in Cosmetics | HEPTACHLOR-EPOXIDE | •Prohibited in EU cosmetics: must not form part of the composition of cosmetic products |
| Our Stolen Future Endocrine Disruptors | HEPTACHLOR-EPOXIDE | • |
| Great Lakes BTS (Binational Toxics Strategy) PBTs | 2,3,4,5,6,7,7-HEPTACHLORO-1A,1B,5,5A,6,6A,-HEXAHYDRO-(2A ALPHA, 1B BETA, 2 ALPHA, 5 ALPHA, 5A BETA, 6 BETA, 6A ALPHA-2,5-METHANO-2H-INDENO[1,2-B]OXIRENE | •Persistent, bioaccumulative toxicant - Great Lakes Binational Strategy, Tier 2 concern (moderate), targeting for monitoring/testing |
| OSPAR PBTs - Substances of Possible Concern | 2,3,4,5,6,7,7-HEPTACHLORO-1A,1B,5,5A,6,6A,-HEXAHYDRO-(2A ALPHA, 1B BETA, 2 ALPHA, 5 ALPHA, 5A BETA, 6 BETA, 6A ALPHA-2,5-METHANO-2H-INDENO[1,2-B]OXIRENE | •Persistent, bioaccumulative toxicant - Oslo-Paris (OSPAR) Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic, chemical of concern |
| EPA PBTs - Waste Minimization Program (RCRA) | HEPTACHLOR EPOXIDE | •Persistent, bioaccumulative toxicant - Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, priority chemical for voluntary waste/emission reductions |
| California EPA Proposition 65 | HEPTACHLOR EPOXIDE | •Carcinogen: California Proposition 65 |
| Illinois EPA, 1997 | HEPTACHLOR EPOXIDE | •Endocrine toxicity hazards: suspected |
| Proposition 65 List of Carcinogens | HEPTACHLOR EPOXIDE | •Cancer hazards: recognized |
| RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2007 | HEPTACHLOR EPOXIDE | • occupationally related - ACGIH TLV (human TWA) |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 1977 | HEPTACHLOR EPOXIDE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Unscheduled DNA Synthesis ( human fbr) |
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. |
| EPA Clean Water Act - Priority Pollutants | |
| Illinois EPA Chemicals Associated with Endocrine System | Illinois EPA (Illinois Environmental Protection Agency). 2000. Preliminary list of chemicals associated with endocrine system effects in animals and humans (*) or in vitro (+). In EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) 2000. Handbook for Non-Cancer Health Effects Valuation, Appendix C. |
| EPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) | EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 2008. Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). Evidence for human carcinogenicity based on 1986-2005 guidelines. |
| European Commission on Endocrine Disruption | EU (European Union)- Strategy for Endocrine Disrupters 2007. Commision on endocrin disruption requested by the European Parliament in 1998. |
| 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." |
| Our Stolen Future Endocrine Disruptors | Colborn T, D Dumanoski, JP Myers. 2006. Widespread Pollutants with Endocrine-disrupting Effects. Updated from original listing in "Our Stolen Future" (1996). |
| Great Lakes BTS (Binational Toxics Strategy) PBTs | Great Lakes BTS (Binational Toxics Strategy). 1997. Canada-United States Strategy for the Virtual Elimination of Persistent Toxic Substances in the Great Lakes. Appendix I - Level 1 and Level 2 substances. |
| OSPAR PBTs - Substances of Possible Concern | OSPAR (Oslo-Paris). 2002. OSPAR List of Substances of Possible Concern. Secondary OSPAR List of Substances of Possible Concern. Secondary OSPAR. Place Published, OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environement of North-East Atlanic. |
| EPA PBTs - Waste Minimization Program (RCRA) | EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 1998. Resource Conservatin and Recovery Act (RCRA) Waste Minimization Program - priority chemicals for elimination or reduction. |
| 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 | Illinois EPA. Endocrine Disruptors Strategy. 1997. (Table 1: Preliminary List of Chemicals Associated with Endocrine System Effects in Animals and Humans or In Vitro). http://www.nihs.go.jp/hse/environ/illiepatable.htm, Japanese National Institute of Health Sciences. Lists of Paradigmatic Chemicals. http://www.nihs.go.jp/hse/endocrine-e/paradigm/paradigm.html, Keith, L.H. (ed.). Environmental Endocrine Disruptors. John Wiley & Sons, NY. 1997. http://www.wileyeurope.com/cda/product/0,,0471191450%7Cdesc%7C3037,00.html, World Wildlife Fund. Our Stolen Future. Widespread Pollutants with Endocrine-disrupting Effects. http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/Basics/chemlist.htm. The WWF list is derived from references detailed at http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/Sources/chemsources.htm and was originally published in: Colborn, T., F.S. vom Saal, and A.M. Soto. Developmental Effects of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals In Wildlife and Humans. Environmental Health Perspectives 101(5): 378-384. 1993. |
| 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. |
| RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2007 | RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2007 |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 1977 | RTECS®- Mutation Research. (Elsevier Science Pub. B.V., POB 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands) V.1- 42,161,1977 |
"RTECS®" is a United States trademark owned and licensed under authority of the U.S. Government, by and through MDL Information Systems, Inc.