Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Vinyl chloride

Telford Borough Authority

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.

 

82

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND140ND
2019ND140ND
2020ND140ND
2021ND120ND
2022ND140ND
2023ND140ND

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
2018-02-1220180562ND
2018-02-1220180560ND
2018-02-1220180561ND
2018-05-0320181778ND
2018-05-0320181777ND
2018-05-0320181776ND
2018-05-0320181774ND
2018-05-0320181775ND
2018-08-0120182933ND
2018-08-0120182931ND
2018-08-0120182932ND
2018-11-278114737-02ND
2018-11-278114737-01ND
2018-11-278114737-03ND
2019-02-0620190503ND
2019-02-0620190504ND
2019-02-0620190505ND
2019-05-0120191634ND
2019-05-0120191637ND
2019-05-0120191635ND
2019-05-0120191633ND
2019-05-0120191636ND
2019-08-0720193060ND
2019-08-0720193062ND
2019-08-0720193061ND
2019-11-0620194363ND
2019-11-0620194361ND
2019-11-0620194362ND
2020-02-0521669877.00ND
2020-02-0521669856.00ND
2020-02-0521669835.00ND
2020-05-0622218193.00ND
2020-05-0622218172.00ND
2020-05-0622218151.00ND
2020-05-0622218130.00ND
2020-05-0622218109.00ND
2020-08-0522610584.00ND
2020-08-0522610605.00ND
2020-08-0522610626.00ND
2020-11-0423364699.00ND
2020-11-0423364720.00ND
2020-12-0123540054.00ND
2021-02-0323891156.00ND
2021-02-0323891198.00ND
2021-02-0323891177.00ND
2021-05-1924441404.00ND
2021-05-1924441362.00ND
2021-05-1924441446.00ND
2021-05-1924441425.00ND
2021-05-1924441383.00ND
2021-08-0424831811.00ND
2021-08-0424831832.00ND
2021-11-0325590470.00ND
2021-11-0325590449.00ND
2022-02-0226119954.00ND
2022-02-0226119975.00ND
2022-03-0226289903.00ND
2022-05-0426651312.00ND
2022-05-0426651291.00ND
2022-05-0426651270.00ND
2022-05-0426651249.00ND
2022-06-0826845266.00ND
2022-08-0327236561.00ND
2022-08-0327236582.00ND
2022-08-0327236540.00ND
2022-11-0227825174.00ND
2022-11-0227825195.00ND
2022-11-0227825153.00ND
2023-02-0128351671.00ND
2023-02-0128351692.00ND
2023-02-0128351713.00ND
2023-05-2228902975.00ND
2023-05-2228902973.00ND
2023-05-2228902972.00ND
2023-05-2228902976.00ND
2023-05-2228902974.00ND
2023-08-0229499986.00ND
2023-08-0229499965.00ND
2023-08-0229499944.00ND
2023-11-0130073671.00ND
2023-11-0130073650.00ND
2023-11-0130073629.00ND