Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Marilee Elmont

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.

 

18

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND30ND
2019ND30ND
2020ND30ND
2021ND30ND
2022ND30ND
2023ND30ND

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
2018-03-06Q1809285012ND
2018-03-06Q1809285004ND
2018-12-11Q1850963001ND
2019-03-28Q1912690003ND
2019-03-28Q1912690005ND
2019-10-23Q1973423001ND
2020-10-15Q2040500001ND
2020-10-15Q2040500003ND
2020-10-15Q2040500005ND
2021-10-13Q2128658007ND
2021-10-13Q2128658011ND
2021-10-13Q2128658009ND
2022-06-15Q2216689004ND
2022-06-15Q2216689006ND
2022-06-15Q2216689008ND
2023-08-14Q2333684003ND
2023-08-14Q2333684005ND
2023-10-31Q2346561001ND