Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Calif State Polytechnical Univ - Pomona

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.

 

67

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND120ND
2019ND100ND
2020ND100ND
2021ND100ND
2022ND140ND
2023ND110ND

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
2018-01-02CA1910022_014_014-201801021115ND
2018-02-06CA1910022_014_014-201802061205ND
2018-03-06CA1910022_014_014-201803061120ND
2018-04-03CA1910022_014_014-201804031110ND
2018-05-01CA1910022_014_014-201805011110ND
2018-06-05CA1910022_014_014-201806051155ND
2018-07-05CA1910022_014_014-201807051400ND
2018-09-04CA1910022_014_014-201809041325ND
2018-10-02CA1910022_014_014-201810021400ND
2018-11-06CA1910022_014_014-201811061330ND
2018-12-04CA1910022_014_014-201812041408ND
2018-12-04CA1910022_005_005-201812041250ND
2019-01-02CA1910022_014_014-201901021415ND
2019-02-05CA1910022_014_014-201902051352ND
2019-03-05CA1910022_014_014-201903051500ND
2019-05-07CA1910022_014_014-201905071420ND
2019-07-02CA1910022_014_014-201907021212ND
2019-08-06CA1910022_014_014-201908061130ND
2019-09-03CA1910022_014_014-201909031210ND
2019-10-01CA1910022_014_014-201910011136ND
2019-12-03CA1910022_014_014-201912031322ND
2019-12-17CA1910022_005_005-201912171100ND
2020-01-07CA1910022_014_014-202001071242ND
2020-02-04CA1910022_014_014-202002041420ND
2020-03-03CA1910022_014_014-202003031226ND
2020-04-07CA1910022_014_014-202004070935ND
2020-05-05CA1910022_014_014-202005051312ND
2020-06-02CA1910022_014_014-202006021010ND
2020-07-07CA1910022_014_014-202007071140ND
2020-09-01CA1910022_014_014-202009011248ND
2020-10-06CA1910022_014_014-202010061305ND
2020-12-08CA1910022_005_005-202012081210ND
2021-02-02CA1910022_014_014-202102021143ND
2021-03-02CA1910022_014_014-202103021150ND
2021-04-13CA1910022_014_014-202104131149ND
2021-06-01CA1910022_014_014-202106011140ND
2021-07-06CA1910022_014_014-202107061130ND
2021-08-03CA1910022_014_014-202108031143ND
2021-09-07CA1910022_014_014-202109071006ND
2021-10-05CA1910022_014_014-202110051222ND
2021-11-02CA1910022_014_014-202111021215ND
2021-12-07CA1910022_014_014-202112071235ND
2022-01-04CA1910022_014_014-202201040954ND
2022-02-01CA1910022_014_014-202202011220ND
2022-03-01CA1910022_014_014-202203011238ND
2022-04-05CA1910022_014_014-202204051114ND
2022-05-03CA1910022_014_014-202205031145ND
2022-06-07CA1910022_005_005-202206071035ND
2022-06-07CA1910022_014_014-202206071306ND
2022-07-05CA1910022_014_014-202207051316ND
2022-08-02CA1910022_014_014-202208021305ND
2022-09-06CA1910022_014_014-202209061252ND
2022-10-04CA1910022_014_014-202210041142ND
2022-11-01CA1910022_014_014-202211011202ND
2022-12-06CA1910022_005_005-202212061050ND
2022-12-06CA1910022_014_014-202212061251ND
2023-02-07CA1910022_014_014-202302071418ND
2023-03-07CA1910022_014_014-202303071422ND
2023-04-04CA1910022_014_014-202304041400ND
2023-05-02CA1910022_014_014-202305021512ND
2023-06-06CA1910022_014_014-202306061104ND
2023-07-03CA1910022_014_014-202307031240ND
2023-08-01CA1910022_014_014-202308011310ND
2023-09-05CA1910022_014_014-202309051424ND
2023-10-03CA1910022_014_014-202310031410ND
2023-12-05CA1910022_014_014-202312051222ND
2023-12-05CA1910022_005_005-202312051015ND