Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

p-Dichlorobenzene

Town of Oakland

p-Dichlorobenzene is a carcinogenic insecticide used in mothballs, and added to deodorant blocks made for trash cans and toilets. Long-term exposure can cause liver damage and kidney problems.

 

12

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND20ND
2019ND20ND
2020ND20ND
2021ND20ND
2022ND20ND
2023ND20ND

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 6 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 6 ppb for p-dichlorobenzene 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): 75 ppb

The legal limit for p-dichlorobenzene, established in 1987, was based on toxicity studies conducted in laboratory animals in the 1980s. This limit may not fully protect against the risk of cancer due to p-dichlorobenzene exposure.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2018-05-10E18004086004ND
2018-05-10E18004086006ND
2019-07-16E20000191006ND
2019-07-16E20000191008ND
2020-06-02E20003723004ND
2020-06-23E20003928006ND
2021-06-08E21003626004ND
2021-06-08E21003626006ND
2022-06-09E2201077004ND
2022-06-09E2201077006ND
2023-03-02E2300195701ND
2023-03-03E2300195703ND