Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Cullman Utilities Board

Dry cleaning chemical tetrachloroethylene, or perc, can cause cancer. It pollutes soil and groundwater due to emissions from dry cleaning facilities, and automotive, metalworking and other industries. Read More.

The EPA considers tetrachloroethylene a likely human carcinogen. It has been linked with increased incidence of lung, breast and colon cancers. Tetrachloroethylene also damages the liver, kidneys and central nervous system. The California public health goal of 0.06 parts per billion, set to protect against cancer, is 80 times lower than the amount allowed by the federal government, which is a Maximum Contaminant Level of 5 parts per billion.

Click here to read more about carcinogenic VOCs.

 

17

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018N/A00N/A
2019ND10ND
2020ND20ND
2021ND40ND
2022ND60ND
2023ND40ND

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 0.06 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.06 ppb for tetrachloroethylene 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): 5 ppb

The legal limit for tetrachloroethylene, established in 1991, was based on analytical detection limits at the time that the standard was set. This limit does not fully protect against the risk of cancer due to tetrachloroethylene exposure.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2019-07-09L1116869-01ND
2020-09-1420171257001_IVOCND
2020-10-2120176647001_IVOCND
2021-03-1235618624001_IVOCND
2021-05-2435635610001_IVOCND
2021-08-0935654208001_IVOCND
2021-11-1535678231001_IVOCND
2022-01-1935691464001_IVOCND
2022-03-1635704226001_IVOCND
2022-04-2035712321001_IVOCND
2022-07-26DC06126-01ND
2022-09-2135748351001_IVOCND
2022-10-1935754169001_IVOCND
2023-01-1935773721001_IVOCND
2023-04-2535794894001_IVOCND
2023-07-2735815984001_IVOCND
2023-10-1735835049001_IVOCND