Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Vinyl chloride

Yadkinville, Town of

Vinyl chloride is a known human carcinogen used for production of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics. Discharges from plastics manufacturing can contaminate drinking water with vinyl chloride. Read More.

Exposure to vinyl chloride increases the risk of cancer and can damage the liver and nervous system. The California public health goal of 0.05 parts per billion, set to protect against cancer, is 40 times lower than the amount allowed by the federal government, which is a Maximum Contaminant Level of 2 parts per billion.

Plastic pipes made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and chlorinated PVC (CPVC) are widely used for drinking water distribution lines and internal plumbing, raising concern about vinyl chloride contamination of drinking water. A study published in 2011 by Ryan Walter of Cornell University School of Civil and Environmental Engineering suggested that small amounts of vinyl chloride can leach from PVC pipes. Vinyl chloride can also form in the pipes as a result of water disinfection with chlorine.

In an assessment completed in 2000, California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment stated that drinking water is not a significant source of exposure to vinyl chloride for the general population.

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
2018ND50ND
2019ND30ND
2020ND70ND
2021ND110ND
2022ND70ND
2023ND60ND

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 0.05 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.05 ppb for vinyl chloride 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): 2 ppb

The legal limit for vinyl chloride, established in 1987, 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 vinyl chloride exposure.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2018-02-0892372538001VOCND
2018-04-0592379790004VOCND
2018-05-3192386687001VOCND
2018-08-2392396902001VOCND
2018-11-0892406563001VOCND
2019-05-3092431146001_12710ND
2019-08-2292442598001_12710ND
2019-10-1092449202001_12710ND
2020-02-2792467096001_12710ND
2020-06-0492480494001_12710ND
2020-08-1892491332001_12710ND
2020-11-1792506645001A_12710ND
2020-11-1792506645002_12710ND
2020-11-1792506645002A_12710ND
2020-11-1792506645001_12710ND
2021-02-1192521779001_12710ND
2021-03-1192527294001_12710ND
2021-05-2792541146001_12710ND
2021-05-2792541146002_12710ND
2021-08-1892556587001_12710ND
2021-08-1892556587002_12710ND
2021-09-0192559299001_12710ND
2021-09-0192559299002_12710ND
2021-10-0792565459001_12710ND
2021-12-0892577072001_12710ND
2021-12-0992577072002_12710ND
2022-02-2392590106001_12710ND
2022-02-2492590106002_12710ND
2022-08-0492618638001_12710ND
2022-09-072092964-01ND
2022-09-072092964-02ND
2022-10-052103511-01ND
2022-10-242111860-01ND
2023-01-023013256-01ND
2023-01-053013426-01ND
2023-04-0592660667001_12710ND
2023-07-0692676043003_12710ND
2023-10-0592691709001_12710ND
2023-10-0592691709002_12710ND