Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Vinyl chloride

Hoosick Falls

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.

 

19

Samples

3

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

4

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.575 ppb41ND - 2.30 ppb
20190.733 ppb31ND - 2.20 ppb
2020ND10ND
20210.538 ppb41ND - 2.15 ppb
2022ND40ND
20230.0833 ppb31ND - 0.250 ppb

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
2018-04-16JH1802408ND
2018-04-16JH1802409ND
2018-05-29JH1803578-POCND
2018-05-29JH18035772.30 ppb
2019-12-09JH1908732ND
2019-12-09JH1908733-VOC2.20 ppb
2019-12-09JH1908734ND
2020-08-13L2032972ND
2021-03-16JH21020052.15 ppb
2021-03-16JH2102004ND
2021-03-16JH2102006ND
2021-05-14L2125415-01ND
2022-03-07JH2201765ND
2022-03-07JH220173ND
2022-03-07JH2201764ND
2022-09-26L2253017-01ND
2023-05-15JH2303551ND
2023-05-15JH23035520.250 ppb
2023-05-15JH2303553ND