Benzene

What is benzene?

Brown bottle of benzene on a lab table

Benzene is a chemical that is naturally produced by volcanoes and forest fires. However, benzene is more commonly used in industrial processes to make plastics, resins, synthetic fibers, lubricants, dyes, and more.

Benzene is also found in many consumer products, including gasoline, glues, cleaning products, and paint thinners.

How can I be exposed to benzene?

People can be exposed to benzene from air, direct contact, and drinking water.

Air

People mainly breathe benzene from tobacco smoke, vehicle exhaust, and industrial emissions. Smoking tobacco and second-hand smoke are major sources of benzene exposure. People can also be exposed to benzene in air from using products that contain benzene. Additionally, people who work in places where benzene or products containing benzene are made or used can be exposed to it in air.

Direct contact

People who work in places where benzene is used or made can make or use benzene or benzene-containing products can be exposed to benzene through direct contact it gets on their skin.

Drinking water

People who live near places where benzene is used or was spilled or disposed of in the past can be exposed to benzene from drinking water. If levels are high enough, people can also breathe in benzene vapors that come out of the water when it is used to shower, bath, and run the dishwasher and washing machine.

How can benzene affect my health?

Breathing in high levels of benzene in a short period of time can cause drowsiness, headaches, and dizziness. Direct contact of benzene on the skin can cause skin redness and sore. Short-term exposure of benzene in eyes can cause general irritation, but longer-term exposure can damage to the cornea.

Long-term exposure to lower levels of benzene from air or water can increase the risk of leukemia, cause anemia, weaken the immune system, and impact reproduction and fertility.

How can I protect myself from benzene?

Who regulates benzene?

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) regulates how much benzene can be released into the air (opens external link), surface water (lakes, rivers, and streams) (opens external link), and groundwater (opens external link) in Wisconsin.

DNR has set a residential indoor air action level for benzene.

DNR regulates how much benzene can be in water served by public water systems (opens external link) and oversees the clean up of contaminated sites (opens external link).

Related topics

Our groundwater standards page has information on how Wisconsin's groundwater standards are set, DHS' role in the process, and a summary of the current and recommended standards, including benzene.

The Wisconsin Groundwater Coordinating Council's annual report to the Legislature (opens external link) summarizes the operations and activities occurring within the state to address groundwater issues including information VOCs such as benzene.

The DNR's Bureau of Remediation and Redevelopment Tracking System on the Web (BRRTs on the Web) (opens external link) provides information on contaminated properties and other cleanup and redevelopment activities in Wisconsin including benzene sites.

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry's ToxFAQs page (opens external link) has more information on benzene exposure routes and health effects.


Questions?

Can't find what you're looking for? Email: dhsenvhealth@dhs.wisconsin.gov

Last revised October 9, 2024