Public Health Goal for Styrene

Dec 28, 2010

The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) of the California Environmental Protection Agency announces the publication of the final technical support document for the Public Health Goal (PHG) for styrene in drinking water. The PHG for styrene is established at 0.5 parts per billion (ppb), based on carcinogenic effects in mice, supported by genotoxic effects observed in humans and suggestive evidence of increased cancer in occupational studies.

The Office previously offered a 45-day public comment period and held a public workshop for styrene on July 15, 2008. Upon request, the comment period was extended to September 15, 2008. After addressing the comments received, the document was posted for a second (30-day) comment period on February 4, 2010, which was extended upon request to May 15, 2010. OEHHA has now finalized the PHG document in response to additional comments and is posting the final version and our responses to the major comments on the OEHHA web site.

The PHG technical support documents provide information on the health effects of contaminants in drinking water. The PHG is a level of drinking water contaminant at which adverse health effects are not expected to occur from a lifetime of exposure. The California Safe Drinking Water Act of 1996¹ requires OEHHA to develop PHGs based exclusively on public health considerations². PHGs published by OEHHA are considered by the California Department of Public Health in setting drinking water standards (Maximum Contaminant Levels, or MCLs)³.

If you would like to receive further information on this announcement or have questions, please contact our office at (510) 622-3200 or the address below.

Hermelinda Jimenez (Hermelinda.Jimenez@oehha.ca.gov)
Pesticide and Environmental Toxicology Branch
Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment
California Environmental Protection Agency
1515 Clay St., 16th floor
Oakland, California 94612
Attn: PHG project.

¹Codified at Health and Safety Code, section 116270 et. seq.

²Health and Safety Code section 116365(c)

³Health and Safety Code section 116365(a) and (b)