Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Styrene

Coast Springs - Cal. Water Service (puc)

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.

 

30

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND50ND
2019ND60ND
2020ND40ND
2021ND50ND
2022ND60ND
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
2018-07-12CA2110007_015_015-201807121235ND
2018-07-12CA2110007_001_001-201807121225ND
2018-07-23CA2110007_003_003-201807231145ND
2018-07-23CA2110007_004_004-201807231200ND
2018-09-18CA2110007_007_007-201809181055ND
2019-01-08CA2110007_006_006-201901081050ND
2019-06-18CA2110007_015_015-201906181100ND
2019-06-18CA2110007_001_001-201906181050ND
2019-08-28CA2110007_005_005-201908281025ND
2019-08-28CA2110007_010_010-201908281100ND
2019-11-20CA2110007_002_002-201911201015ND
2020-03-25CA2110007_015_015-202003251035ND
2020-03-25CA2110007_001_001-202003251025ND
2020-04-20CA2110007_008_008-202004201025ND
2020-08-19CA2110007_016_016-202008190935ND
2021-06-08CA2110007_001_001-202106081015ND
2021-06-08CA2110007_015_015-202106081010ND
2021-07-06CA2110007_004_004-202107061010ND
2021-07-06CA2110007_003_003-202107060945ND
2021-08-18CA2110007_007_007-202108181300ND
2022-02-23CA2110007_006_006-202202230945ND
2022-06-21CA2110007_015_015-202206211030ND
2022-06-21CA2110007_001_001-202206211115ND
2022-08-16CA2110007_010_010-202208161215ND
2022-08-16CA2110007_005_005-202208161255ND
2022-10-31CA2110007_002_002-202210311125ND
2023-04-17CA2110007_008_008-202304171135ND
2023-06-06CA2110007_001_001-202306061055ND
2023-06-06CA2110007_015_015-202306061100ND
2023-08-24CA2110007_016_016-202308241210ND