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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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1,2-Dichloroethane

Lacygne, City of

1,2-Dichloroethane is a volatile carcinogenic chemical used to make plastic products such as polyvinyl chloride. Read More.

Also known as ethylene dichloride, it has been widely used as an intermediate for manufacturing other chemicals and as a solvent. 1,2-Dichloroethane causes multiple types of cancer in animal studies, and damages liver, kidneys, and the immune and nervous systems. The EPA classifies 1,2-dichloroethane as a probable human carcinogen.

Click here to read more about carcinogenic VOCs.

 

14

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND20ND
2015ND50ND
2016ND20ND
2017ND30ND
2018ND10ND
2019ND10ND

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 0.4 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.4 ppb for 1,2-dichloroethane 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) 5 ppb

The legal limit for 1,2-dichloroethane, established in 1987, was based on analytical detection limits at the time that the standard was set. This limit may not fully protect against the risk of cancer due to 1,2-dichloroethane exposure.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2014-02-1060976ND
2014-06-09125978ND
2015-01-05254885ND
2015-04-06308715ND
2015-05-04322256ND
2015-07-05361517ND
2015-10-05416918ND
2016-01-04468657ND
2016-05-09540747ND
2017-02-13707634ND
2017-05-08758155ND
2017-06-05771451ND
2018-02-05908279ND
2019-02-111119772ND