Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Styrene

Laurel Village Mobile Home Park

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.

 

31

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND40ND
2019ND40ND
2020ND40ND
2021ND40ND
2022ND80ND
2023ND70ND

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
2018-12-06S816920ND
2018-12-06S816921ND
2018-12-06S816924ND
2018-12-06S816918ND
2019-12-18S932357ND
2019-12-18S932358ND
2019-12-18S932360ND
2019-12-18S932362ND
2020-02-24S932614ND
2020-02-24S932618ND
2020-02-24S943432ND
2020-02-24S943435ND
2021-12-02S1148688ND
2021-12-16S1159484ND
2021-12-16S1159200ND
2021-12-16S1159204ND
2022-08-19S1216747ND
2022-08-19S1216749ND
2022-08-19S1216745ND
2022-08-19S1216743ND
2022-09-29S1230895ND
2022-09-29S1230893ND
2022-09-29S1230891ND
2022-09-29S1230889ND
2023-01-31S1260859ND
2023-01-31S1260927ND
2023-01-31S1261011ND
2023-01-31S1261013ND
2023-03-08S1272406ND
2023-03-08S1272410ND
2023-03-08S1272412ND