Chlorinated hydrocarbons (CHCs) are present in many consumer and industrial products such as:
- glues
- household cleaners
- dry cleaning products
- metal degreasers.
CHCs are made up of many chemicals, including tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE).
PCE is a colourless liquid industrial chemical. It’s widely used in industries including:
- dry cleaning
- metal finishing
- electronics manufacturing.
PCE breaks down rapidly in air and surface water, but much more slowly in soil and groundwater.
TCE is a clear liquid once widely used as an industrial solvent. Solvents are used to dissolve certain materials. TCE is still used in some industries.
CHCs that spill on the ground can contaminate soil and groundwater and remain there for a long time.
CHCs and the law
Waste materials and substances containing CHCs are pre-classified as reportable priority waste under Schedule 5 of the Environment Protection Regulations 2021.
Under the Environment Protection Act 2017 there are legal duties that apply to managing, transporting and depositing reportable priority waste. These duties apply to the generator, transporter and receiver of the waste. To learn more, visit Understand your waste obligations and duties.
The general environment duty applies to the management of waste materials and substances containing CHCs.
The duty to manage contaminated land may apply if land and groundwater is contaminated by CHCs.
There are permissions related to transporting, receiving and storing waste containing CHCs:
- A01 – Reportable priority waste management licence for receiving and storing reportable priority waste
- A10b – Reportable priority waste (transport) – other registration for transporters.
Our role in CHCs
We regulate the management of waste containing CHCs to prevent harm to human health and the environment. This involves making sure businesses comply with the law.
Learn more about contaminated land and groundwater.
Impact of CHCs on your health
Using or drinking groundwater contaminated by CHCs can be a risk to human health in high concentrations.
CHCs present in contaminated land may also become vapours. These vapours can enter nearby buildings through cracks in foundations and at points where services enter buildings. This is called vapour intrusion. It’s possible for humans to breathe in these vapours.
To learn more about the health affects of PCE, refer to Tetrachlorethene (PCE) from vapour intrusion and your health.
Risk to human health from exposure to CHCs depends on:
- exposure concentrations
- how often and for how long exposure occurs
- personal factors, including general health, genetics and age.
Impact of PCE
PCE breaks down in the human body quickly and does not build up over time.
Short-term or infrequent exposure to low PCE levels is unlikely to pose risks to human health. High levels of PCE pose risks that increase with the period of exposure.
Short-term symptoms of exposure to high levels of PCE include:
- headaches
- dizziness
- drowsiness and fatigue.
Long-term exposure to high levels of PCE is a risk to:
- central nervous system
- kidneys
- liver
- immune and blood systems
- development and reproduction.
Impact of TCE
TCE breaks down in the human body within days. It does not build up over time. When exposure to TCE stops, it takes a short time to leave the body.
Low levels of TCE are unlikely to pose risks to human health. High levels of TCE pose risks that increase with the period of exposure.
Short-term symptoms of exposure to high levels of TCE include:
- headaches
- dizziness
- drowsiness and fatigue
- eye, nose and throat irritation.
Long-term exposure to high levels of TCE is a risk to:
- developing specific cancers, including non-Hodgkin lymphoma, kidney or liver cancers
- central nervous and immune systems
- male reproductive system
- kidneys
- liver.
If you're concerned about exposure to CHCs
If you experience any of the above symptoms or you're concerned about exposure to CHCs, find out who to contact.
Reduce your exposure to CHCs
Replace products with CHCs with other products, where possible.
Vapour from groundwater or soils contaminated by CHCs can impact the air quality in your home. To find out whether your home is in an area that may be contaminated by CHCs, enter your address into Victoria Unearthed.
If you live in an area with CHC contamination and are concerned about CHC exposure, contact a professional environmental scientist or hygienist knowledgeable in air quality monitoring. They can conduct monitoring and recommend next steps.
The monitoring results of CHCs in drinking water or indoor air are compared to health-based guidelines.
If measured concentrations exceed these guidelines, it does not mean there is an immediate risk to human health. However, it does mean that the person or business responsible for the drinking water or indoor air needs to do more investigation.
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