Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Styrene

Palm Ranch Irrigation District

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.

Click here to read more about carcinogenic VOCs.

 

33

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
2019ND40ND
2020ND80ND
2021ND130ND
2022ND40ND
2023ND40ND

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

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

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2019-05-28CA1910103_001_001-201905280850ND
2019-06-04CA1910103_002_002-201906040635ND
2019-06-11CA1910103_007_007-201906110636ND
2019-11-07CA1910103_015_015-201911070900ND
2020-08-11CA1910103_001_001-202008110958ND
2020-08-11CA1910103_015_015-202008111020ND
2020-08-11CA1910103_007_007-202008111005ND
2020-08-11CA1910103_002_002-202008110950ND
2020-08-11CA1910103_005_005-202008111037ND
2020-11-10CA1910103_002_002-202011100729ND
2020-11-10CA1910103_015_015-202011100756ND
2020-11-10CA1910103_001_001-202011100744ND
2021-02-16CA1910103_015_015-202102160727ND
2021-02-16CA1910103_001_001-202102160718ND
2021-02-16CA1910103_007_007-202102160745ND
2021-02-16CA1910103_002_002-202102160708ND
2021-05-18CA1910103_007_007-202105180735ND
2021-05-18CA1910103_001_001-202105180705ND
2021-05-18CA1910103_015_015-202105180719ND
2021-06-29CA1910103_001_001-202106290646ND
2021-06-29CA1910103_015_015-202106290705ND
2021-06-30CA1910103_007_007-202106301158ND
2021-07-06CA1910103_002_002-202107060708ND
2021-08-10CA1910103_007_007-202108100744ND
2021-11-02CA1910103_007_007-202111020758ND
2022-04-04CA1910103_015_015-202204040811ND
2022-04-04CA1910103_001_001-202204040819ND
2022-07-12CA1910103_002_002-202207120628ND
2022-10-04CA1910103_007_007-202210040718ND
2023-01-03CA1910103_001_001-202301030747ND
2023-01-03CA1910103_015_015-202301030729ND
2023-01-03CA1910103_002_002-202301030803ND
2023-01-03CA1910103_007_007-202301030705ND