Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Styrene

Bethel, Town of

NOTE: Bethel, Town of purchases water from Greenville Utilities Comm. which is required to test for styrene. Sample information shown below was taken by Greenville Utilities Comm..

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.

 

25

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND50ND
2019ND10ND
2020ND10ND
2021ND20ND
2022ND20ND
2023ND10ND

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

NOTE: Bethel, Town of purchases water from Greenville Utilities Comm. which is required to test for styrene. Sample information shown below was taken by Greenville Utilities Comm..

Date Lab ID Result
2018-08-2337729_18-35469ND
2018-08-2337729_18-35471ND
2018-08-2337729_18-35472ND
2018-08-2337729_18-35473ND
2018-08-2337729_18-35467ND
2019-08-2237729_19-36231ND
2019-08-2237729_19-36232ND
2019-08-2237729_19-36233ND
2019-08-2237729_19-36234ND
2020-08-2037729_20-36223ND
2020-08-2037729_20-36222ND
2020-08-2037729_20-36221ND
2020-08-2037729_20-36145ND
2021-08-2337729_21-36217ND
2021-08-2337729_21-36218ND
2021-08-2337729_21-36219ND
2021-08-2337729_21-36220ND
2022-08-2337729_22-40410ND
2022-08-2337729_22-40411ND
2022-08-2337729_22-40412ND
2022-08-2337729_22-40413ND
2023-05-2537729_23-26781ND
2023-05-2537729_23-26782ND
2023-05-2537729_23-26783ND
2023-05-2537729_23-26784ND