Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Pratt, City of

Dry cleaning chemical tetrachloroethylene, or perc, can cause cancer. It pollutes soil and groundwater due to emissions from dry cleaning facilities, and automotive, metalworking and other industries. Read More.

The EPA considers tetrachloroethylene a likely human carcinogen. It has been linked with increased incidence of lung, breast and colon cancers. Tetrachloroethylene also damages the liver, kidneys and central nervous system. The California public health goal of 0.06 parts per billion, set to protect against cancer, is 80 times lower than the amount allowed by the federal government, which is a Maximum Contaminant Level of 5 parts per billion.

Click here to read more about carcinogenic VOCs.

 

21

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018N/A00N/A
2019N/A00N/A
2020ND100ND
2021ND10ND
2022N/A00N/A
2023ND100ND

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 0.06 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.06 ppb for tetrachloroethylene 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 tetrachloroethylene, established in 1991, was based on analytical detection limits at the time that the standard was set. This limit does not fully protect against the risk of cancer due to tetrachloroethylene exposure.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2020-08-041472561ND
2020-08-041472572ND
2020-08-041472571ND
2020-08-041472570ND
2020-08-041472569ND
2020-08-041472567ND
2020-08-041472566ND
2020-08-041472565ND
2020-08-041472562ND
2020-08-041472564ND
2021-04-131817297ND
2023-08-092555388ND
2023-08-092555387ND
2023-08-092555386ND
2023-08-092555385ND
2023-08-092555384ND
2023-08-092555383ND
2023-08-092555382ND
2023-08-092555381ND
2023-09-132575317ND
2023-10-102589869ND