Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Styrene

Sumter-wessex S/d

Styrene is a volatile cancer-causing chemical used for manufacturing Styrofoam (polystyrene) and other plastics. Releases from industrial production sites and hazardous waste landfills cause styrene contamination in drinking water. Read More.

In addition to increasing the risk of cancer, styrene can also damage the liver and the nervous system. California set a public health goal for styrene in drinking water at 0.5 parts per billion. The federal Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) allows up to 100 parts per billion of styrene in water, which is 200 times more than the California recommended level.

Click here to read more about carcinogenic VOCs.

 

24

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

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

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 0.5 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.5 ppb for styrene 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): 100 ppb

The legal limit for styrene, established in 1991, was based on a toxicity study in laboratory animals conducted in the 1970s. This limit may not fully protect against the risk of cancer due to styrene exposure.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2018-03-20AE09636ND
2018-04-24AE11274ND
2018-08-02AE16126ND
2018-11-30AE22083ND
2019-01-10AE23940ND
2019-04-22AE29217ND
2019-08-06AE34914ND
2019-12-10AE41653ND
2020-01-14AE42870ND
2020-04-28AE47742ND
2020-09-10AE54309ND
2020-11-17AE57633ND
2021-01-19AE59847ND
2021-05-27AE66576ND
2021-07-28AE69574ND
2021-11-09AE74818ND
2022-01-25AE77954ND
2022-05-25AE84285ND
2022-07-25AE87126ND
2022-10-31AE92354ND
2023-01-11AE95303ND
2023-05-16AF02091ND
2023-08-02AF06496ND
2023-11-02AF10993ND