Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Styrene

Yuima Municipal Water District Ida

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.

 

34

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND50ND
2019ND40ND
2020ND70ND
2021ND50ND
2022ND30ND
2023ND100ND

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
2018-01-09CA3700938_012_012-201801090920ND
2018-04-10CA3700938_012_012-201804100800ND
2018-07-10CA3700938_012_012-201807100800ND
2018-07-10CA3700938_005_005-201807100830ND
2018-10-09CA3700938_012_012-201810091105ND
2019-01-08CA3700938_012_012-201901080815ND
2019-04-09CA3700938_012_012-201904091125ND
2019-07-09CA3700938_012_012-201907090845ND
2019-10-08CA3700938_012_012-201910080900ND
2020-01-14CA3700938_012_012-202001141007ND
2020-04-14CA3700938_012_012-202004140830ND
2020-07-14CA3700938_012_012-202007141110ND
2020-07-14CA3700938_031_031-202007141035ND
2020-07-14CA3700938_048_048-202007141207ND
2020-07-14CA3700938_006_006-202007141010ND
2020-10-13CA3700938_012_012-202010131000ND
2021-01-12CA3700938_012_012-202101120915ND
2021-04-13CA3700938_012_012-202104131230ND
2021-07-13CA3700938_005_005-202107130930ND
2021-07-13CA3700938_012_012-202107130825ND
2021-10-18CA3700938_012_012-202110181100ND
2022-01-10CA3700938_012_012-202201100800ND
2022-04-04CA3700938_012_012-202204041200ND
2022-10-12CA3700938_012_012-202210120845ND
2023-02-13CA3700938_012_012-202302131315ND
2023-05-01CA3700938_037_037-202305011010ND
2023-07-11CA3700938_006_006-202307110750ND
2023-07-11CA3700938_011_011-202307110900ND
2023-07-11CA3700938_020_020-202307110750ND
2023-07-11CA3700938_047_047-202307110840ND
2023-07-11CA3700938_012_012-202307110915ND
2023-07-11CA3700938_031_031-202307110730ND
2023-07-11CA3700938_004_004-202307110730ND
2023-10-02CA3700938_048_048-202310020840ND