Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Vinyl chloride

Bayou La Batre Utilities

Vinyl chloride is a known human carcinogen used for production of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics. Discharges from plastics manufacturing can contaminate drinking water with vinyl chloride. Read More.

Exposure to vinyl chloride increases the risk of cancer and can damage the liver and nervous system. The California public health goal of 0.05 parts per billion, set to protect against cancer, is 40 times lower than the amount allowed by the federal government, which is a Maximum Contaminant Level of 2 parts per billion.

Plastic pipes made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and chlorinated PVC (CPVC) are widely used for drinking water distribution lines and internal plumbing, raising concern about vinyl chloride contamination of drinking water. A study published in 2011 by Ryan Walter of Cornell University School of Civil and Environmental Engineering suggested that small amounts of vinyl chloride can leach from PVC pipes. Vinyl chloride can also form in the pipes as a result of water disinfection with chlorine.

In an assessment completed in 2000, California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment stated that drinking water is not a significant source of exposure to vinyl chloride for the general population.

Click here to read more about carcinogenic VOCs.

 

42

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND60ND
2019ND40ND
2020ND80ND
2021ND80ND
2022ND80ND
2023ND80ND

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 0.05 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.05 ppb for vinyl chloride 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): 2 ppb

The legal limit for vinyl chloride, established in 1987, was based on analytical detection limits at the time that the standard was set. This limit may not fully protect against the risk of cancer due to vinyl chloride exposure.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2018-01-29180129038-1ND
2018-05-07180509027-1ND
2018-06-13180614041-1ND
2018-07-26180727028-001ND
2018-11-0818110248-001AND
2018-11-0818110248-002AND
2019-01-3019010726-001AND
2019-05-0619050219-001AND
2019-07-2520114547001_IVOCND
2019-11-2120131445003_IVOCND
2020-03-1620146809003_IVOCND
2020-03-1620146807001_IVOCND
2020-04-2720152048001_IVOCND
2020-04-2720152054002_IVOCND
2020-07-1420162712002A _IVOCND
2020-07-1420162715001_IVOCND
2020-10-2220176835001_IVOCND
2020-10-2220176839002_IVOCND
2021-02-2220191200002_IVOCND
2021-02-2220191205001_IVOCND
2021-04-2720197805002ND
2021-04-2720197778001ND
2021-07-2220215370001ND
2021-07-2220215372002ND
2021-11-1820226381001_IVOCND
2021-11-1820226391002_IVOCND
2022-03-0720236841002_IVOCND
2022-03-0720236842002_IVOCND
2022-05-2520244811001_IVOCND
2022-05-2520244818003_IVOCND
2022-09-1220255361001_IVOCND
2022-09-1220255358002_IVOCND
2022-10-1920258977001_IVOCND
2022-10-1920258987002_IVOCND
2023-02-0720269190002_IVOCND
2023-02-0720269193002_IVOCND
2023-04-1120274431002_IVOCND
2023-04-1120274438001_IVOCND
2023-07-1320282545001_IVOCND
2023-07-1320282549002_IVOCND
2023-10-1720293432002_IVOCND
2023-10-1720293435001_IVOCND