Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Styrene

City of Moses Lake

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.

 

43

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND50ND
2019ND70ND
2020N/A00N/A
2021ND60ND
2022ND190ND
2023ND60ND

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
2018-01-31ND
2018-04-03ND
2018-06-28ND
2018-09-11ND
2018-11-06ND
2019-03-26ND
2019-07-09ND
2019-07-29ND
2019-10-01ND
2019-11-12ND
2019-11-12ND
2019-12-03ND
2021-01-114063010ND
2021-06-144130306ND
2021-07-274149446ND
2021-09-014178894ND
2021-10-064188764ND
2021-11-084203458ND
2022-03-104258470ND
2022-03-104258471ND
2022-03-104258475ND
2022-03-154258473ND
2022-03-224266305ND
2022-03-224263834ND
2022-03-224266307ND
2022-03-224266302ND
2022-03-224266301ND
2022-03-224266306ND
2022-03-224266304ND
2022-03-224266303ND
2022-03-224266308ND
2022-04-184274610ND
2022-06-064298852ND
2022-06-134298844ND
2022-09-124338139ND
2022-09-124338140ND
2022-10-064356370ND
2023-06-214481116ND
2023-06-214480385ND
2023-06-214480387ND
2023-06-214480386ND
2023-09-134512968ND
2023-09-134512967ND