Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Styrene

City of Richland

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.

 

42

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND10ND
2019ND120ND
2020N/A00N/A
2021ND110ND
2022ND130ND
2023ND50ND

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
2018-07-05ND
2019-03-08ND
2019-04-11ND
2019-05-09ND
2019-06-06ND
2019-07-11ND
2019-08-08ND
2019-09-12ND
2019-09-18ND
2019-10-10ND
2019-11-07ND
2019-12-12ND
2019-12-13ND
2021-01-214070629ND
2021-02-124076883ND
2021-03-114087469ND
2021-05-184118748ND
2021-05-184118749ND
2021-07-084142812ND
2021-08-194169230ND
2021-09-094178932ND
2021-10-134194903ND
2021-11-174208636ND
2021-12-084216629ND
2022-01-124233604ND
2022-02-094241715ND
2022-03-094258463ND
2022-04-144272582ND
2022-05-114279794ND
2022-06-084296744ND
2022-07-134315945ND
2022-08-104330297ND
2022-09-144365601ND
2022-10-134361675ND
2022-10-134361676ND
2022-11-094381443ND
2022-12-144392465ND
2023-01-114399229ND
2023-03-084426940ND
2023-04-124443144ND
2023-05-104452809ND
2023-06-204482853ND