Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Styrene

Sugar Mountain Utility

Styrene is a volatile cancer-causing chemical used for manufacturing Styrofoam (polystyrene) and other plastics. Releases from industrial production sites and hazardous waste landfills cause styrene contamination in drinking water. Read More.

In addition to increasing the risk of cancer, styrene can also damage the liver and the nervous system. California set a public health goal for styrene in drinking water at 0.5 parts per billion. The federal Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) allows up to 100 parts per billion of styrene in water, which is 200 times more than the California recommended level.

Click here to read more about carcinogenic VOCs.

 

39

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
2020ND190ND
2021N/A00N/A
2022ND10ND
2023ND190ND

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 0.5 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.5 ppb for styrene 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): 100 ppb

The legal limit for styrene, established in 1991, was based on a toxicity study in laboratory animals conducted in the 1970s. This limit may not fully protect against the risk of cancer due to styrene exposure.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2020-02-117041-021120-OOXVND
2020-02-117041-021120-OOVVND
2020-02-117041A-021120-OOXVND
2020-02-117041A-021120-OOVVND
2020-10-287041-102820-OGHVND
2020-10-287041-102820-OPQVND
2020-10-287041-102820-OOTVND
2020-10-287041-102820-OOSVND
2020-10-287041-102820-OORVND
2020-10-287041-102820-OONVND
2020-10-287041-102820-OOIVND
2020-10-287041-102820-OOFVND
2020-10-287041-102820-OOEVND
2020-10-287041-102820-OOBVND
2020-10-287041-102820-OOAVND
2020-10-287041-102820-OLMVND
2020-10-287041-102820-OJKVND
2020-12-097041-120920-OOCVND
2020-12-097041-120920-OODVND
2022-03-157041-031522-OOWVND
2023-03-01752-3748-3ND
2023-03-01752-3748-1ND
2023-08-30752-11120-1ND
2023-10-17752-12705-21ND
2023-10-17752-12705-9ND
2023-10-17752-12705-7ND
2023-10-17752-12705-5ND
2023-10-17752-12705-3ND
2023-10-17752-12705-29ND
2023-10-17752-12705-27ND
2023-10-17752-12705-25ND
2023-10-17752-12705-23ND
2023-10-17752-12705-19ND
2023-10-17752-12705-17ND
2023-10-17752-12705-15ND
2023-10-17752-12705-13ND
2023-10-17752-12705-11ND
2023-10-17752-12705-1ND
2023-12-13752-14694-1ND