PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT 

 1,2-DICHLOROETHANE CAS#: 107-06-2 

Division of Toxicology September 2001 

__________________________________________________________________________________________

DEPARTMENT of HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health Service

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ Telephone: 1-888-422-8737 Fax: 770-488-4178 E-Mail: atsdric@cdc.gov 

This Public Health Statement is the summary 

chapter from the Toxicological Profile for 1,2-

Dichloroethane. It is one in a series of Public Health 

Statements about hazardous substances and their 

health effects. A shorter version, the ToxFAQsTM is 

also available. This information is important 

because this substance may harm you. The effects 

of exposure to any hazardous substance depend on 

the dose, the duration, how you are exposed, 

personal traits and habits, and whether other 

chemicals are present. For more information, call 

the ATSDR Information Center at 1-888-422-8737. 

_____________________________________ 

This public health statement tells you about 1,2-

dichloroethane and the effects of exposure. The 

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identifies 

the most serious hazardous waste sites in the nation. 

These sites make up the National Priorities List 

(NPL) and are the sites targeted for long-term 

federal cleanup activities. 1,2-Dichloroethane has 

been found in at least 570 of the 1,585 current or 

former NPL sites. However, the total number of 

NPL sites evaluated for 1,2-dichloroethane is not 

known. As more sites are evaluated, the sites at 

which 1,2-dichloroethane is found may increase. 

This information is important because exposure to 

1,2-dichloroethane may harm you and because these 

sites may be sources of exposure. When a substance 

is released from a large area, such as an industrial 

plant, or from a container, such as a drum or bottle, 

it enters the environment. This release does not 

always lead to exposure. You are exposed to a 

substance only when you come in contact with it. 

You may be exposured by breathing, eating, or 

drinking the substance, or by skin contact. If you 

are exposed to 1,2-dichloroethane, many factors 

determine whether you will be harmed. These 

factors include the dose (how much), the duration 

(how long), and how you come in contact with it. 

You must also consider the other chemicals you are 

exposed to and your age, sex, diet, family traits, 

lifestyle, and state of health. 

 

1.1 WHAT IS 1,2-DICHOROETHANE? 

1,2-Dichloroethane is a clear, manufactured liquid 

that is not found naturally in the environment. It 

evaporates quickly at room temperature and has a 

pleasant smell and a sweet taste. 1,2-Dichloroethane 

burns with a smoky flame. At this time, the most 

common use of 1,2-dichloroethane is to make vinyl 

chloride, which is used to make a variety of plastic 

and vinyl products including polyvinyl chloride 

(PVC) pipes and other important construction 

materials, packaging materials, furniture and 

automobile upholstery, wall coverings, housewares, 

and automobile parts. 1,2-Dichloroethane is also 

used as a solvent and is added to leaded gasoline to 

remove lead. In the past, it was also found in small 

amounts in products that industries used to clean 

cloth, remove grease from metal, and break down 

oils, fats, waxes, resins, and rubber. In the 

household, 1,2-dichloroethane was formerly a 

component of some cleaning solutions and 

pesticides; some adhesives, such as those used to 

glue wallpaper or carpeting; and some paint, 

varnish, and finish removers. Although large 

amounts of 1,2-dichloroethane are produced today, 

most is used to make other chemical products. 

Small amounts of 1,2-dichloroethane that were 

released into water or soil evaporate into the air. 

1,2-Dichloroethane that remains in soil from a spill 

or improper disposal can travel through the ground 

into water. The chemical may remain in water or 

soil for more than 40 days. 
 PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT 

 1,2-DICHLOROETHANE CAS#: 107-06-2 

Division of Toxicology September 2001 

__________________________________________________________________________________________

DEPARTMENT of HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health Service

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ Telephone: 1-888-422-8737 Fax: 770-488-4178 E-Mail: atsdric@cdc.gov 

1.2 WHAT HAPPENS TO 1,2-

DICHOROETHANE WHEN IT ENTERS 

THE ENVIRONMENT? 

1,2-Dichloroethane can enter the environment when 

it is made, packaged, shipped, or used. Most 1,2-

dichloroethane is released to the air, although some 

is released to rivers or lakes. 1,2-Dichloroethane 

could also enter soil, water, or air in large amounts 

in an accidental spill. 1,2-Dichloroethane 

evaporates into the air very fast from soil and water. 

In the air, it breaks down by reacting with other 

compounds formed by the sunlight. 1,2-

Dichloroethane will stay in the air for more than 5 

months before it is broken down. It may also be 

removed from air in rain or snow. Since it stays in 

the air for a while, the wind may carry it over large 

distances. In water, 1,2-dichloroethane breaks down 

very slowly and most of it will evaporate to the air. 

Only very small amounts are taken up by plants and 

fish. We do not know exactly how long 1,2-

dichloroethane remains in water, but we do know 

that it remains longer in lakes than in rivers. In soil, 

1,2-dichloroethane either evaporates into the air or 

travels down through soil and enters underground 

water. Small organisms living in soil and 

groundwater may transform it into other less 

harmful compounds, although this happens slowly. 

If a large amount of 1,2-dichloroethane enters soil 

from an accident, hazardous waste site, or landfill, it 

may travel a long way underground and 

contaminate drinking water wells. 

1.3 HOW MIGHT I BE EXPOSED TO 1,2-

DICHOROETHANE? 

 

Humans are exposed to 1,2-dichloroethane mainly 

by breathing air or drinking water that contains 1,2-

dichloroethane. Human exposure usually happens 

where the chemical has been improperly disposed 

of, or spilled onto the ground. However, low levels 

of 1,2-dichloroethane have also been found in the 

air near industries where it is made or used in 

manufacturing. Humans can be exposed to low 

levels of 1,2-dichloroethane through the skin or air 

by contact with old products made with 1,2-

dichloroethane, such as cleaning agents, pesticides, 

and adhesives used to glue wallpaper and carpets. 

Such exposure is probably not enough to cause 

harmful health effects. 1,2-Dichloroethane has been 

found in U.S. drinking water at levels ranging from 

0.05 to 64 parts of 1,2-dichloroethane per billion 

(ppb) parts of water. An average amount of 175 ppb 

has been found in 12% of the surface water and 

groundwater samples taken at 2,783 hazardous 

wastes sites. 1,2-Dichloroethane has also been 

found in the air near urban areas at levels of 0.10–

1.50 ppb and near hazardous waste sites at levels of 

0.01–0.003 ppb. Small amounts of 1,2-

dichloroethane have also been found in foods. 

Humans may also be exposed to 1,2-dichloroethane 

through its use as a gasoline additive to reduce lead 

content, but these small levels are not expected to 

affect human health. This is probably not an 

important way that people are exposed to 1,2-

dichloroethane in the United States, since leaded 

gasolines are rarely used today. 

1.4 HOW CAN 1,2-DICHLOROETHANE 

ENTER AND LEAVE MY BODY? 

1,2-Dichloroethane can enter the body when people 

breathe air or drink water that contains 1,2-

dichloroethane. Studies in animals also show that 

1,2-dichloroethane can enter the body through the 

skin. Humans are most likely to be exposed at work 

and outside the workplace by drinking water that 

contains 1,2-dichloroethane, or by breathing 1,2-
 PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT 

 1,2-DICHLOROETHANE CAS#: 107-06-2 

Division of Toxicology September 2001 

__________________________________________________________________________________________

DEPARTMENT of HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health Service

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ Telephone: 1-888-422-8737 Fax: 770-488-4178 E-Mail: atsdric@cdc.gov 

dichloroethane that has escaped from contaminated 

water or soil into the air. Experiments in animals 

show that 1,2-dichloroethane that is breathed in or 

swallowed goes to many organs of the body, but 

usually leaves in the breath within 1 or 2 days. The 

breakdown products of 1,2-dichloroethane in the 

body leave quickly in the urine. Soil near hazardous 

waste sites probably does not have high amounts of 

1,2-dichloroethane because it evaporates quickly 

into the air. This suggests that exposure near a 

hazardous waste site would most likely occur by 

breathing contaminated air rather than by touching 

contaminated soil. 

1.5 HOW CAN 1,2-DICHOROETHANE 

AFFECT MY HEALTH? 

 

To protect the public from the harmful effects of 

toxic chemicals and to find ways to treat people 

who have been harmed, scientists use many tests. 

One way to see if a chemical will hurt people is to 

learn how the chemical is absorbed, used, and 

released by the body; for some chemicals, animal 

testing may be necessary. Animal testing may also 

be used to identify health effects such as cancer or 

birth defects. Without laboratory animals, scientists 

would lose a basic method to get information 

needed to make wise decisions to protect public 

health. Scientists have the responsibility to treat 

research animals with care and compassion. Laws 

today protect the welfare of research animals, and 

scientists must comply with strict animal care 

guidelines. People who were accidentally exposed 

to large amounts of 1,2-dichloroethane in the air or 

who swallowed 1,2-dichloroethane by accident, or 

on purpose, often developed nervous system 

disorders and liver and kidney disease. Lung effects 

were also seen after a large amount of 1,2-

dichloroethane was inhaled. People often died from 

heart failure. We do not know what levels of 1,2-

dichloroethane caused these effects, but they are 

probably high. Studies in laboratory animals also 

found that breathing or swallowing large amounts 

of 1,2-dichloroethane produced nervous system 

disorders, kidney disease, or lung effects. Reduced 

ability to fight infection was also seen in laboratory 

animals who breathed or swallowed 1,2-

dichloroethane, but we do not know if this also 

occurs in humans. Longer-term exposure to lower 

doses also caused kidney disease in animals. So far, 

exposure to 1,2-dichloroethane has not been 

associated with cancer in humans. One study 

showed a relationship between increased cancer and 

exposure to pollutants in groundwater, including 

1,2-dichloroethane, but the people were probably 

exposed to many other chemicals at the same time. 

Cancer was found in laboratory animals who were 

fed large doses of 1,2-dichloroethane. When 1,2-

dichloroethane was put on the skin of laboratory 

animals, they developed lung tumors. We are not 

sure whether breathing 1,2-dichloroethane causes 

cancer in animals. Because of the cancer findings in 

animals, the possibility of cancer in humans cannot 

be ruled out. The Department of Health and Human 

Services (DHHS) has determined that 1,2-

dichloroethane may reasonably be expected to cause 

cancer. The International Agency for Research on 

Cancer (IARC) has determined that 1,2-

dichloroethane can possibly cause cancer in 

humans. EPA has determined that 1,2-

dichloroethane is a probable human carcinogen. 

1.6 HOW CAN 1,2-DICHLOROETHANE 

AFFECT CHILDREN? 

 

This section discusses potential health effects from 

exposures during the period from conception to 

maturity at 18 years of age in humans. Children can 
 PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT 

 1,2-DICHLOROETHANE CAS#: 107-06-2 

Division of Toxicology September 2001 

__________________________________________________________________________________________

DEPARTMENT of HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health Service

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ Telephone: 1-888-422-8737 Fax: 770-488-4178 E-Mail: atsdric@cdc.gov 

be exposed to 1,2-dichloroethane by breathing 

contaminated air, and possibly by drinking 

contaminated water. In the past, 1,2-dichloroethane 

had been used in certain household items, such as 

cleaning products and adhesives, but is no longer 

used in these products. There is a possibility that 

using of one of these older household products 

containing 1,2-dichloroethane to clean floors or 

glue carpets could result in exposure, since children 

often crawl on floors and play on carpets. Such 

exposures would probably last a few days or less, 

since 1,2-dichloroethane evaporates very quickly. 

Children are not likely to be exposed to 1,2-

dichloroethane from parents’ clothing or other items 

removed from the workplace. Because 1,2-

dichloroethane has been detected in human milk, it 

is possible that young children could be exposed to 

1,2-dichloroethane from breast-feeding mothers 

who had been exposed to sources of 1,2-

dichloroethane. There have been no studies of 

health effects in children exposed to 1,2-

dichloroethane, and we have no reliable information 

on whether 1,2-dichloroethane causes birth defects 

in children. One study broadly suggests that heart 

problems could occur in the human fetus from 

mothers being exposed to 1,2-dichloroethane along 

with some other chemicals, but the information is 

not reliable enough for us to be sure whether 1,2-

dichloroethane is responsible for the defects. 

Studies of pregnant laboratory animals indicate that 

it probably does not produce birth defects or affect 

reproduction. We do know, however, that when the 

pregnant animal is exposed to 1,2-dichloroethane, 

the fetus is probably also exposed. It is likely that 

children exposed to 1,2-dichloroethane after birth 

would show the same health effects that are 

expected to occur in adults, especially liver and 

kidney disease. There is no information to 

determine whether children differ from adults in 

their sensitivity to the health effects of 1,2-

dichloroethane. 

1.7 HOW CAN FAMILIES REDUCE THE 

RISK OF EXPOSURE TO 1,2-

DICHLOROETHANE? 

 

If your doctor finds that you have been exposed to 

significant amounts of 1,2-dichloroethane, ask 

whether your children might also be exposed. Your 

doctor might need to ask your state health 

department to investigate. In the past, 1,2-

dichloroethane was used in small amounts in 

household products such as cleaning agents, 

pesticides, and wallpaper and carpet glue. It is 

possible that you may have old containers of such 

products in your home. Risk of exposure from this 

source could be eliminated if these older products 

were immediately discarded. Otherwise, household 

chemicals should be stored out of reach of young 

children to prevent accidental poisonings. Always 

store household chemicals in their original labeled 

containers. Never store household chemicals in 

containers that children would find attractive to eat 

or drink from, such as old soda bottles. Keep your 

Poison Control Center’s number next to the phone. 

Sometimes older children sniff household chemicals 

in an attempt to get high. Your children may be 

exposed to 1,2-dichloroethane by inhaling products 

containing it. Talk with your children about the 

dangers of sniffing chemicals. The exposure of your 

family to 1,2-dichloroethane can be reduced by 

throwing away any household products that contain 

it. You may wish to contact your county health 

department for appropriate disposal methods. 1,2-

Dichloroethane has been found in drinking water in 

the United States. Most of the time, 1,2-

dichloroethane has been found in small amounts 

that do not pose a major health risk. You may want 
 PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT 

 1,2-DICHLOROETHANE CAS#: 107-06-2 

Division of Toxicology September 2001 

__________________________________________________________________________________________

DEPARTMENT of HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health Service

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ Telephone: 1-888-422-8737 Fax: 770-488-4178 E-Mail: atsdric@cdc.gov 

to contact your water supplier or local health 

department to get information about the levels of 

1,2-dichloroethane in the drinking water. 

 

1.8 IS THERE A MEDICAL TEST TO 

DETERMINE WHETHER I HAVE BEEN 

EXPOSED TO 1,2-DICHOROETHANE? 

1,2-Dichloroethane has been found in the breath, 

blood, breast milk, and urine of exposed people. 

Because breath samples are easily collected, testing 

breathed-out or exhaled air is now a possible way to 

find out whether someone has recently been 

exposed to 1,2-dichloroethane. However, tests that 

measure small amounts in human breath, tissues, 

and fluids may not be available at your doctor's 

office because they require special equipment. Your 

physician can refer you to a facility where these 

tests are done. Although these tests can show that 

you have been exposed to 1,2-dichloroethane, it is 

not possible to tell if you will experience any 

harmful health effects. Because 1,2-dichloroethane 

leaves the body fairly quickly, these methods are 

best for finding exposures that occurred within the 

last several days. Exposure to 1,2-dichloroethane at 

hazardous waste sites will probably include 

exposure to other organic compounds at the same 

time. Therefore, levels of 1,2-dichloroethane 

measured in the body by these methods may not 

show exposure to 1,2-dichloroethane only. Medical 

tests available at a doctor's office include lung-, 

liver-, and kidney-function tests, but these tests look 

for damage that has already occurred from general 

chemical exposure and do not determine the cause 

of damage. Damage could also be the result of 

lifestyle (e.g., drinking alcohol, smoking) or general 

exposure to environmental agents. Other methods to 

measure the effects of exposure to 1,2-

dichloroethane (such as abnormal enzyme levels) do 

not measure the effects of exposure to 1,2-

dichloroethane only, but measure effects of other 

chemicals as well. 

 

1.9 WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS HAS THE 

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MADE TO 

PROTECT HUMAN HEALTH? 

The federal government develops regulations and 

recommendations to protect public health. 

Regulations can be enforced by law. Federal 

agencies that develop regulations for toxic 

substances include the Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA), the Occupational Safety and Health 

Administration (OSHA), and the Food and Drug 

Administration (FDA). Recommendations provide 

valuable guidelines to protect public health but 

cannot be enforced by law. Federal organizations 

that develop recommendations for toxic substances 

include the Agency for Toxic Substances and 

Disease Registry (ATSDR) and the National 

Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 

(NIOSH). Regulations and recommendations can be 

expressed in not-to-exceed levels in air, water, soil, 

or food that are usually based on levels that affect 

animals; then they are adjusted to help protect 

people. Sometimes these not-to-exceed levels differ 

among federal organizations because of different 

exposure times (an 8-hour workday or a 24-hour 

day), the use of different animal studies, or other 

factors. Recommendations and regulations are also 

periodically updated as more information becomes 

available. For the most current information, check 

with the federal agency or organization that 

provides it. Some regulations and recommendations 

for 1,2-dichloroethane include the following: The 

federal government has developed regulatory 

standards and guidelines to protect people from the 

possible health effects of 1,2-dichloroethane in air. 
 PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT 

 1,2-DICHLOROETHANE CAS#: 107-06-2 

Division of Toxicology September 2001 

__________________________________________________________________________________________

DEPARTMENT of HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health Service

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ Telephone: 1-888-422-8737 Fax: 770-488-4178 E-Mail: atsdric@cdc.gov 

OSHA has set a limit of 50 parts of 1,2-

dichloroethane per million parts of air (ppm, 1 ppm 

is 1,000 times more than 1 ppb) in the workplace 

for an 8-hour day, 40-hour week. NIOSH 

recommends that a person not be exposed daily in 

the workplace to more than 1 ppm 1,2-

dichloroethane for a 10-hour day, 40-hour week. 

NIOSH calls 1,2-dichloroethane a possible 

occupational carcinogen. EPA also calls the 

compound a probable human cancer-causing agent, 

based on experiments in animals. The federal 

government has also set regulatory standards and 

guidelines to protect people from the possible health 

effects of 1,2-dichloroethane in drinking water. 

EPA has set a limit in water of 0.005 milligrams of 

1,2-dichloroethane per liter (5 ppb). 

1.10 WHERE CAN I GET MORE 

INFORMATION? 

If you have any more questions or concerns, 

please contact your community or state health or 

environmental quality department or: 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

Division of Toxicology 

1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop F-32 

Atlanta, GA 30333 

Information line and technical assistance: 

Phone: 888-422-8737 

FAX: (770)-488-4178 

ATSDR can also tell you the location of 

occupational and environmental health clinics. 

These clinics specialize in recognizing, evaluating, 

and treating illnesses resulting from exposure to 

hazardous substances. 

To order toxicological profiles, contact: 

National Technical Information Service 

5285 Port Royal Road 

Springfield, VA 22161 

Phone: 800-553-6847 or 703-605-6000 

Reference 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

(ATSDR). 2001. Toxicological profile for 1,2-

dichoroethane. Update. Atlanta, GA: U.S. 

Department of Health and Human Services, Public 

Health Service.