Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Alberta Water System

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.

 

19

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND80ND
2019N/A00N/A
2020ND10ND
2021ND80ND
2022N/A00N/A
2023ND20ND

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
2018-06-1835399332002ND
2018-06-1835399332003ND
2018-06-1835399332004ND
2018-06-1835399332001ND
2018-06-1835399332002ND
2018-06-1835399332003ND
2018-06-1835399332004ND
2018-06-1835399332001ND
2020-12-1535599419001ND
2021-02-1135612027001ND
2021-04-2735629109001ND
2021-04-2735629109002ND
2021-04-2735629109003ND
2021-04-2735629109004ND
2021-04-2735629109005ND
2021-07-1335648189002ND
2021-11-0235675540003ND
2023-08-2335823153001ND
2023-08-2335823166001ND