Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Swan Harbour Dell Mobile Home Park

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.

 

65

Samples

1

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

29

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20181.04 ppb1410ND - 2.48 ppb
20190.319 ppb206ND - 1.43 ppb
20200.500 ppb95ND - 1.07 ppb
20210.291 ppb135ND - 0.970 ppb
2022ND40ND
20232.40 ppb53ND - 10.2 ppb

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
2018-03-27E180034890011.59 ppb
2018-03-27E180034870061.46 ppb
2018-06-14E180045100060.970 ppb
2018-06-14E180045100041.33 ppb
2018-09-13E190009400081.69 ppb
2018-09-19D-18-2106ND
2018-09-19D-18-21072.48 ppb
2018-09-19D-18-21080.534 ppb
2018-09-27E190011180081.37 ppb
2018-11-05E19001555008ND
2018-11-05E190015550101.28 ppb
2018-12-12D-18-3020ND
2018-12-12D-18-30211.80 ppb
2018-12-12D-18-3022ND
2019-03-12D-19-493ABC1.10 ppb
2019-03-12D-19-497ABCND
2019-03-12D-19-495ABCND
2019-03-26E190031450040.510 ppb
2019-03-26E19003145001ND
2019-06-05D-19-1246ABCND
2019-06-05D-19-1247ABCND
2019-06-05D-19-1248ABCND
2019-06-26E19004491002ND
2019-06-26E190044930020.570 ppb
2019-08-13D-19-1905ND
2019-08-13D-19-1906ND
2019-08-13D-19-19071.40 ppb
2019-09-05E20000962008ND
2019-09-05E200009620101.36 ppb
2019-11-13E200018790061.43 ppb
2019-11-13E20001879004ND
2019-11-14D-19-2747ND
2019-11-14D-19-2748ND
2019-11-14D-19-2746ND
2020-03-30E20003280001ND
2020-03-30E200032800041.04 ppb
2020-05-12E20003561004ND
2020-05-12E200035610060.710 ppb
2020-09-24E21000830001ND
2020-09-24E210008300041.06 ppb
2020-11-05E21001248001ND
2020-11-05E210012480041.07 ppb
2020-11-05E210025820010.620 ppb
2021-06-02E210035660060.520 ppb
2021-06-14D-21-1578ND
2021-06-14D-21-1579ND
2021-06-14D-21-15800.930 ppb
2021-08-09D-21-2158ND
2021-08-09D-21-21570.970 ppb
2021-08-09D-21-2156ND
2021-09-23E22000964006ND
2021-09-23E220009640080.670 ppb
2021-11-09E22000802060.690 ppb
2021-12-07D-21-3299-VOCND
2021-12-07D-21-3300-VOCND
2021-12-07D-21-3301-VOCND
2022-01-19D-22-124ND
2022-01-19D-22-125ND
2022-03-16OALDWVOC031722-536ND
2022-10-17D-22-2101ND
2023-01-12D-23-060ND
2023-03-08E2300208901ND
2023-05-08E23002742010.630 ppb
2023-08-10E24000504011.18 ppb
2023-10-25E240015670110.2 ppb