Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Hexachlorobenzene (HCB)

Portland

Hexachlorobenzene is a cancer-causing, neurotoxic and hormone-disrupting chemical used as a pesticide until 1984. It is still found in landfills and hazardous waste sites, and can be detected in people.

 

7

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND10ND
2019ND30ND
2020N/A00N/A
2021N/A00N/A
2022ND30ND
2023N/A00N/A

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 0.03 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.03 ppb for hexachlorobenzene 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): 1 ppb

The legal limit for hexachlorobenzene, established in 1992, 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 hexachlorobenzene exposure.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2018-09-11LLI04531ND
2019-09-30LLI68340ND
2019-09-30LLI68342ND
2019-09-30LLI68341ND
2022-09-19ND
2022-09-19ND
2022-09-19ND