Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Styrene

Terra Bella Irrigation District - Tbt

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.

 

38

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND50ND
2019ND90ND
2020ND30ND
2021ND60ND
2022ND60ND
2023ND90ND

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
2018-09-17CA5410038_001_001-201809171140ND
2018-09-24CA5410038_027_027-201809241445ND
2018-09-24CA5410038_032_032-201809241300ND
2018-12-27CA5410038_027_027-201812271250ND
2018-12-27CA5410038_032_032-201812271200ND
2019-02-26CA5410038_032_032-201902261152ND
2019-02-26CA5410038_027_027-201902261318ND
2019-05-10CA5410038_032_032-201905101155ND
2019-05-10CA5410038_027_027-201905101310ND
2019-08-29CA5410038_027_027-201908291340ND
2019-08-29CA5410038_032_032-201908291208ND
2019-11-19CA5410038_001_001-201911191242ND
2019-11-21CA5410038_032_032-201911211158ND
2019-11-21CA5410038_027_027-201911211338ND
2020-11-30CA5410038_027_027-202011301254ND
2020-11-30CA5410038_032_032-202011301130ND
2020-12-29CA5410038_028_028-202012291250ND
2021-02-19CA5410038_028_028-202102191125ND
2021-02-19CA5410038_032_032-202102191100ND
2021-02-19CA5410038_027_027-202102191215ND
2021-05-27CA5410038_028_028-202105271235ND
2021-09-13CA5410038_028_028-202109131325ND
2021-11-15CA5410038_028_028-202111151325ND
2022-03-07CA5410038_027_027-202203071258ND
2022-03-29CA5410038_028_028-202203291115ND
2022-06-16CA5410038_032_032-202206161135ND
2022-08-15CA5410038_001_001-202208151150ND
2022-09-19CA5410038_032_032-202209191135ND
2022-09-19CA5410038_028_028-202209191305ND
2023-07-24CA5410038_001_001-202307241220ND
2023-09-12CA5410038_025_025-202309121230ND
2023-09-12CA5410038_002_002-202309121152ND
2023-09-12CA5410038_009_009-202309121158ND
2023-09-12CA5410038_016_016-202309121138ND
2023-09-12CA5410038_020_020-202309121147ND
2023-09-12CA5410038_024_024-202309121220ND
2023-12-04CA5410038_027_027-202312041244ND
2023-12-04CA5410038_028_028-202312041315ND