United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Water 4601 EPA 811-F-95-003 u-C October 1995 oEPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations Lindane This is a factsheet about a chemical that may be found in some public or private drinking water supplies. It may cause health problems if found in amounts greater than the health standard set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). DRINKING WATER STANDARDS: MCLG: Met: 0.2 PPB •0.2 PPB WHAT is LINDANE AND HOW IS IT USED? WHY is LINDANE BEING REGULATED? WHATARETHE HEALTH EFFECTS? Lindane is a white crystalline organic solid. Most uses being restricted in 1983, lindane is currently used primarily for treating wood-inhabiting beetles and seeds. It is also used as a dip for fleas and lice on pets, and livestock, for soil treatment, on the foliage of fruit and nut trees, vegetables, timber, ornamentals and for wood protection. The list of trade names given below may help you find out whether you are using this chemical at home or work. In 1974, Congress passed the Safe Drinking Water Act. This law requires EPA to determine safe levels of chemicals in drinking water which do or may cause health problems. These non-enforceable levels, based solely on possible health risks and exposure, are called Maximum Contaminant Level Goals. The MCLG for lindane has been set at 0.2 parts per billion (ppb) because EPA believes this level of protection would not cause any of the potential health problems described below. Based on this MCLG, EPA has set an enforceable standard called a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL). MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as possible, considering the ability of public water systems to detect and remove contaminants using suitable treatment technologies. The MCL has been set at 0.2 ppb because EPA believes, given present technology and resources, this is the lowest level to which water 'systems can reasonably be required to remove this contaminant should it occur in drinking water. These drinking water standards and the regulations for ensur- , ing these standards are met, are called National Primary Drinking Water Regulations. All public water supplies must abide by these regulations. Short-term: EPA has found lindane to potentially cause the following health effects when people are exposed to it at levels above the MCL for relatively short periods of time: high body temperature and pulmonary edema. Long-term: Lindane has the potential to cause the following TRADE NAMES AND SYNONYMS: GAMMA- HEXACHLORO- CYCLOHEXANE EXAGAMMA FORLIN GALLOGAMMA GAMMAPHEX iNExrr KWEU LJNDAGRANOX LlNDATERRA LOVIGRAM SlLVANOL October 1995 Consumer irsion Printed on Recycled Paper ------- effects from a lifetime exposure at levels above the MCL: liver and kidney damage. Lindane enters surface water as a result of runofffrom agricultural land and from How MucH LINDANE home and garden applications where itis used as an insecticide. IS PRODUCED AND From 1987 to 1993, according to EPA ’s Toxics Release Inventory, lindane RELEASED TO THE ENVIRONMENT? releases to land and water totalled 1115 lbs. When released to water, lindane is not broken down by microbes, but it is WHATHAPPENSTO LINDANE attacked by chemicals in basic waters. !t is degraded by soil microbes, and may WHEN rr IS RELEASED TO evaporate from the surface, or slowly leach to ground water. Lindane will THE Et iflRONMENT? accumulate slightly in fish and shellfish. How wiu. The regulation for lindane became effective in 1992. Between 1993 and 1995, LINDANE EPA required your water supplierto collect water samples every 3 months for one BE DETECTED IN AND. year and analyze them to find’out if lindane is present above 0.02 ppb. If it is REMOVED FROM present above this level, the system must continue to hionitor this contaminant. Mv DRINKING WATER? If contaminant levels are found to be consistently above the MCL, your water supplier must take steps to reduce the amount of lindané so that it is consistently below that level. The following treatment methods have been approved by EPA for removing lindane: Granular activated charcoal. If the levels of lindane exceed the MCL, 0.2 ppb, the system must notify the How i wu. I KNOW IF. public via newspapers, radio, TV and other means. Additional actions, such as LINDA NE iS iN MY DRiNK- ING WATER? providing alternative drinking water supplies, may be required to prevent serious risks to public health. Learn moreabout your drinking waterl EPA strongly encourages people to learn more Your state Department of Health/Environment is also a about their drinking water, and to support local efforts valuable source of information. t protect and upgrade the supply of safe drinking FOr help in locating these agencies or for information on water. Your water bill or telephone book’s govern- drinking water in general, call: ment listings are a good starting point.. EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline: (800) 426-4791. Your local water supplier can give you a list of the For additional information on the uses and releases of chemicals they test for in your water, as well as how chemicals in your state, contact the: your water is treated. . Community Right-to-Know Hotline: (800) 535-0202. 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