Styrene
Status: National drinking water standard exists
Styrene is a volatile cancer-causing chemical used for manufacturing Styrofoam (polystyrene) and other plastics. Releases from industrial production sites and hazardous waste landfills cause styrene contamination in drinking water. Read More.
In addition to increasing the risk of cancer, styrene can also damage the liver and the nervous system. California set a public health goal for styrene in drinking water at 0.5 parts per billion. The federal Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) allows up to 100 parts per billion of styrene in water, which is 200 times more than the California recommended level.
2015-2017:
31
states detected
141
utilities detected
1.8 million
people served
15
states over health guideline
22
utilities over health guideline
8,549
people served over health guideline
0
states over legal limit
0
utilities over legal limit
0
people served over legal limit
Health concerns for styrene
Cancer
Harm to the liver
Harm to the brain and nervous system
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EWG Health Guideline 0.5 ppb
The EWG Health Guideline of 0.5 ppb for styrene was defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal, the level of a drinking water contaminant that does not pose a significant health risk. This health guideline protects against cancer.
EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 100 ppb
The legal limit for styrene, established in 1991, was based on a toxicity study in laboratory animals conducted in the 1970s. This limit may not fully protect against the risk of cancer due to styrene exposure.
ppb = parts per billion
States reporting styrene in drinking water
| UTILITIES REPORTING ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES | UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Utilities | People Served | Utilities | People Served | |||
| California | 1 | 370 | 17 | 1,131,084 | |||
| Florida | 0 | 0 | 14 | 444,106 | |||
| Mississippi | 0 | 0 | 4 | 76,512 | |||
| Connecticut | 1 | 48 | 4 | 37,785 | |||
| Wisconsin | 1 | 35 | 29 | 36,961 | |||
| New Jersey | 1 | 400 | 2 | 26,640 | |||
| New York | 4 | 1,865 | 19 | 17,532 | |||
| Ohio | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6,670 | |||
| Texas | 1 | 321 | 7 | 6,217 | |||
| Louisiana | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3,784 | |||
| Alabama | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3,237 | |||
| Virginia | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2,873 | |||
| Washington | 1 | 26 | 2 | 2,766 | |||
| Iowa | 2 | 1,971 | 3 | 2,532 | |||
| Missouri | 4 | 831 | 5 | 2,406 | |||
| Vermont | 1 | 642 | 3 | 2,163 | |||
| Arizona | 1 | 813 | 2 | 920 | |||
| Oregon | 0 | 0 | 1 | 910 | |||
| Nebraska | 1 | 810 | 1 | 810 | |||
| Pennsylvania | 0 | 0 | 1 | 700 | |||
| Illinois | 1 | 120 | 2 | 576 | |||
| Nevada | 0 | 0 | 1 | 450 | |||
| North Carolina | 1 | 210 | 2 | 372 | |||
| Alaska | 0 | 0 | 1 | 350 | |||
| Georgia | 0 | 0 | 1 | 286 | |||
| New Hampshire | 0 | 0 | 1 | 250 | |||
| Oklahoma | 0 | 0 | 1 | 170 | |||
| South Carolina | 0 | 0 | 1 | 133 | |||
| Maryland | 1 | 87 | 1 | 87 | |||
| Montana | 0 | 0 | 1 | 65 | |||
| West Virginia | 0 | 0 | 1 | 50 | |||
Filtering technologies that reduce styrene
Activated Carbon
Reverse Osmosis
Utilities with the highest amounts of styrene, 2015-2017
| Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hudson Valley Water Company #2 | Woodbury, NY | 1 of 2 | 4.50 ppb | 225 |
| Chaparral Water Company | Tucson, AZ | 1 of 5 | 4.40 ppb | 813 |
| Timberline Shores | Gaston, NC | 8 of 10 | 1.96 ppb | 210 |
| Good Life Enterprises LLC | Hopewell Junction, NY | 1 of 1 | 1.80 ppb | 200 |
| Corydon Water Supply | Corydon, IA | 1 of 1 | 1.40 ppb | 1,585 |
| Deer Lodge Mobile Home Park | Herndon, MD | 1 of 1 | 1.30 ppb | 87 |
| Oak Creek Mobile Home Park (water) | Coarsegold, CA | 1 of 1 | 1.000 ppb | 370 |
| Deep Run Adult Village | Colts Neck, NJ | 2 of 13 | 0.892 ppb | 400 |
| Mannsville Village | Mannsville, NY | 1 of 1 | 0.800 ppb | 450 |
| East Middlebury Fd 1 | E Middlebury, VT | 1 of 3 | 0.800 ppb | 642 |
| Churdan Water Supply | Churdan, IA | 1 of 1 | 0.800 ppb | 386 |
| The Callicoon Water Company Inc. | Callicoon, NY | 2 of 2 | 0.750 ppb | 990 |
| Hemingford, Village of | Hemingford, NE | 1 of 5 | 0.680 ppb | 810 |
| Brandt Point | Sequim, WA | 1 of 9 | 0.656 ppb | 26 |
| Central Crossing Acres II | Shell Knob, MO | 1 of 1 | 0.630 ppb | 25 |
| 52nd Ave Water Group | Kenosha, WI | 2 of 15 | 0.627 ppb | 35 |
| Country Tyme Estates | Palatine, IL | 3 of 6 | 0.615 ppb | 120 |
| Friendship Hills Subd | Stockton, MO | 1 of 1 | 0.580 ppb | 35 |
| Lyme Academy Apartments LLC | Trumbull, CT | 5 of 24 | 0.578 ppb | 48 |
| Bloomsdale PWS | Bloomsdale, MO | 1 of 1 | 0.570 ppb | 521 |
| MO American Spokane Highlands | Joplin, MO | 1 of 1 | 0.570 ppb | 250 |
| Paradise Point Subdivision | Austin, TX | 1 of 3 | 0.567 ppb | 321 |
| Egypt Bend Estates | Luray, VA | 1 of 2 | 0.500 ppb | 250 |
| Creekside Mobile Home Park | Valatie, NY | 1 of 1 | 0.500 ppb | 36 |
| Holiday Mobile Park Inc. | Wappingers Falls, NY | 1 of 2 | 0.500 ppb | 250 |
| Bynum / Teton Co. W & S District | Bynum, MT | 1 of 2 | 0.490 ppb | 65 |
| Northtowne Communities LLC | Versailles, OH | 2 of 3 | 0.467 ppb | 100 |
| Club Island Association | Celina, OH | 1 of 2 | 0.415 ppb | 170 |
| Badger Water Supply | Badger, IA | 1 of 2 | 0.400 ppb | 561 |
| Interlaken Village | Interlaken, NY | 1 of 2 | 0.400 ppb | 650 |
| Markridge Park Subdivision Water System | Duson, LA | 2 of 4 | 0.380 ppb | 468 |
| Calam - Walnut Grove | Sacramento, CA | 1 of 2 | 0.350 ppb | 644 |
| Alberta Subdivision | Thiensville, WI | 1 of 1 | 0.350 ppb | 75 |
| Country Acres Mobile Home Pk | Lake Mills, WI | 1 of 1 | 0.340 ppb | 160 |
| Century Estates 1 | Thiensville, WI | 1 of 1 | 0.340 ppb | 130 |
| Grand Ave Apartments | Thiensville, WI | 1 of 1 | 0.340 ppb | 80 |
| Watermark Condominiums | Elm Grove, WI | 1 of 1 | 0.340 ppb | 25 |
| Parkerville East Mobile Home Park | Lancaster, TX | 2 of 4 | 0.335 ppb | 50 |
| Dayton Water Department | Dayton, WA | 1 of 4 | 0.333 ppb | 2,740 |
| Nashotah House | Delafield, WI | 1 of 1 | 0.330 ppb | 125 |
| Pioneer Centre | Muskego, WI | 1 of 1 | 0.330 ppb | 140 |
| Country Terrace Condo Homes | Mequon, WI | 1 of 1 | 0.330 ppb | 160 |
| Global Capital Of World Peace | Romney, WV | 1 of 2 | 0.305 ppb | 50 |
| Lannon Estates Mobile Home Park | Lannon, WI | 1 of 1 | 0.300 ppb | 300 |
| Coachmans Terrace Mobile Home Park | Lake Geneva, WI | 1 of 1 | 0.290 ppb | 125 |
| Cape Girardeau County Public Water Supply District 4 | Gordonville, MO | 1 of 2 | 0.280 ppb | 1,575 |
| Artisan Senior Living | Lake Geneva, WI | 1 of 1 | 0.280 ppb | 33 |
| Clearview Mhc | Norman, OK | 2 of 13 | 0.269 ppb | 170 |
| Bjw&sa Palm Key | Okatie, SC | 1 of 3 | 0.257 ppb | 133 |
| Woodcrest Community | Rifton, NY | 1 of 2 | 0.250 ppb | 340 |
| Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miramar (East & West) Plants | Miramar, FL | 1 of 6 | 0.0417 ppb | 128,729 |
| City of Gulfport | Gulfport, MS | 1 of 35 | 0.0334 ppb | 72,076 |
| Wallingford Water Department | Wallingford, CT | 1 of 17 | 0.0294 ppb | 37,267 |
| Weston Municipal Utilities | Weston, WI | 1 of 8 | 0.0238 ppb | 15,045 |
| Lacey Twp MUA | Forked River, NJ | 1 of 25 | 0.00960 ppb | 26,240 |
| River Falls Waterworks | River Falls, WI | 1 of 14 | 0.00929 ppb | 15,229 |
| Lee County Utilities* | Fort Myers, FL | 1 of 7 | 0.00714 ppb | 236,944 |
| Peoples Water Service Company | Pensacola, FL | 1 of 123 | 0.00390 ppb | 34,352 |
| San Jose State University | San Jose, CA | 1 of 209 | 0.00330 ppb | 30,000 |
| San Jose Water Company* | San Jose, CA | 1 of 209 | 0.00330 ppb | 998,000 |
| Cal-water Service Company - Chico | Chico, CA | 1 of 392 | 0.00214 ppb | 100,435 |
* This water utility supplies finished drinking water to at least one other water utility. The purchasing utility is not required to test for or report Styrene, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.