Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Telford Borough Authority

Dry cleaning chemical tetrachloroethylene, or perc, can cause cancer. It pollutes soil and groundwater due to emissions from dry cleaning facilities, and automotive, metalworking and other industries. Read More.

The EPA considers tetrachloroethylene a likely human carcinogen. It has been linked with increased incidence of lung, breast and colon cancers. Tetrachloroethylene also damages the liver, kidneys and central nervous system. The California public health goal of 0.06 parts per billion, set to protect against cancer, is 80 times lower than the amount allowed by the federal government, which is a Maximum Contaminant Level of 5 parts per billion.

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: 0.06 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.06 ppb for tetrachloroethylene 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): 5 ppb

The legal limit for tetrachloroethylene, established in 1991, was based on analytical detection limits at the time that the standard was set. This limit does not fully protect against the risk of cancer due to tetrachloroethylene 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
2020-02-0521669886.00ND
2020-02-0521669865.00ND
2020-02-0521669844.00ND
2020-05-0622218202.00ND
2020-05-0622218181.00ND
2020-05-0622218160.00ND
2020-05-0622218139.00ND
2020-05-0622218118.00ND
2020-08-0522610593.00ND
2020-08-0522610614.00ND
2020-08-0522610635.00ND
2020-11-0423364708.00ND
2020-11-0423364729.00ND
2020-12-0123540063.00ND
2021-02-0323891165.00ND
2021-02-0323891207.00ND
2021-02-0323891186.00ND
2021-05-1924441413.00ND
2021-05-1924441371.00ND
2021-05-1924441455.00ND
2021-05-1924441434.00ND
2021-05-1924441392.00ND
2021-08-0424831820.00ND
2021-08-0424831841.00ND
2021-11-0325590479.00ND
2021-11-0325590458.00ND
2022-02-0226119963.00ND
2022-02-0226119984.00ND
2022-03-0226289912.00ND
2022-05-0426651321.00ND
2022-05-0426651300.00ND
2022-05-0426651279.00ND
2022-05-0426651258.00ND
2022-06-0826845275.00ND
2022-08-0327236570.00ND
2022-08-0327236591.00ND
2022-08-0327236549.00ND
2022-11-0227825183.00ND
2022-11-0227825204.00ND
2022-11-0227825162.00ND
2023-02-0128351680.00ND
2023-02-0128351701.00ND
2023-02-0128351722.00ND
2023-05-2228903020.00ND
2023-05-2228903018.00ND
2023-05-2228903017.00ND
2023-05-2228903021.00ND
2023-05-2228903019.00ND
2023-08-0229499995.00ND
2023-08-0229499974.00ND
2023-08-0229499953.00ND
2023-11-0130073680.00ND
2023-11-0130073659.00ND
2023-11-0130073638.00ND