Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Vinyl chloride

Palmer Center Ugarc

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.

 

31

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND50ND
2019ND40ND
2020ND90ND
2021ND50ND
2022ND40ND
2023ND40ND

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
2018-01-10UG180098POCND
2018-05-09PC180872ND
2018-08-0108011820POCND
2018-08-13EHS1800035918POCND
2018-10-09PC182388ND
2019-01-07PC190059ND
2019-04-24WD190998ND
2019-07-1707171903ND
2019-10-1410151907ND
2020-01-0601072016-POCND
2020-04-2204222018ND
2020-05-1205122005ND
2020-06-0106012004ND
2020-07-0107012020ND
2020-07-2007202003ND
2020-08-1108112028-1-RAWND
2020-08-1108112028-2-DSND
2020-10-0110012002-2ND
2021-01-0501052119-PND
2021-01-25EHS2100013303PND
2021-04-0504052105NND
2021-07-0107012103ND
2021-10-0410042113ND
2022-01-0401042211ND
2022-04-0504052212ND
2022-07-0507052229ND
2022-10-0410042216-2ND
2023-01-0301032324-1ND
2023-04-0304032305ND
2023-07-05PC232245ND
2023-10-185530295ND