Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Vinyl chloride

Lake Erie Mobile Home Park LLC

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.

 

54

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND110ND
2019ND80ND
2020ND80ND
2021ND80ND
2022ND100ND
2023ND90ND

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
2018-01-17R1800451-002ND
2018-01-17R1800451-001ND
2018-02-14R1801318-003ND
2018-02-14R1801318-004ND
2018-03-06R1802013-003ND
2018-05-232Q18 LEMHP POC EP1-4ND
2018-05-232Q18 LEMHP POC EP5ND
2018-08-223Q18 LEMHP POC EP1-4ND
2018-08-223Q18 LEMHP POC EP5ND
2018-10-244Q18 LEMHP POC EP1-4ND
2018-10-244Q18 LEMHP POC EP5ND
2019-03-201Q19 LEMHP POC EP5ND
2019-03-201Q19 LEMHP POC EP1-4ND
2019-05-152Q19 LEMHP POC EP1-4ND
2019-05-152Q19 LEMHP POC EP5ND
2019-08-213Q19 LEMHP POC EP1-4ND
2019-08-213Q19 LEMHP POC EP5ND
2019-11-204Q19 LEMHP POC EP5ND
2019-11-204Q19 LEMHP POC EP1-4ND
2020-02-121Q20 LEMHP POC EP1-4ND
2020-02-121Q20 LEMHP POC EP5ND
2020-04-222Q20 LEMHP POC EP1-4ND
2020-04-222Q20 LEMHP POC EP5ND
2020-08-193Q20 LEMHP POC EP5ND
2020-08-193Q20 LEMHP POC EP1-4ND
2020-11-114Q20 LEMHP POC EP1-4ND
2020-11-114Q20 LEMHP POC EP5ND
2021-02-23Q1 21 POCS LEE WL 5ND
2021-02-23Q1 21 LEE WL1-4ND
2021-05-12Q2 21 POCS LEE WL5ND
2021-05-12Q2 21 POC LEE WL1-4ND
2021-08-18Q3 21 POC LEE WL1-4ND
2021-08-18Q3 21 POCS LEE WL5ND
2021-11-10Q4 21 POC LEE WL1-4ND
2021-11-10Q4 21 POC LEE WL5ND
2022-03-16Q1 22 POC LEE WL1-4ND
2022-03-16Q1 22 POC LEE WL5ND
2022-05-17Q2 22 POC LEE WL5ND
2022-05-17Q2 22 POC LEE WL1-4ND
2022-06-29Q2 22 2ND WL5ND
2022-06-29Q2 22 2ND WL1-4ND
2022-09-202022 POCS LEE EP5ND
2022-09-202022 POCS LEE EP1ND
2022-11-16Q4 22 POC LEE WL5ND
2022-11-16Q4 22 POC LEE WL1-4ND
2023-03-22Q1 23 POC LEE WL1-4ND
2023-03-222023 LEE EP1 POCSND
2023-03-22Q1 23 POC LEE EP5ND
2023-04-19Q2 23 POC LEE EP5ND
2023-04-19Q2 23 POC LEE WL1-4ND
2023-07-19Q3 23 POC LEE WL1-4ND
2023-07-19Q3 23 POC LEE EP5ND
2023-12-27Q4 23 POC LEE WL1-4ND
2023-12-27Q4 23 POC LEE EP5ND