Xylenes: Evaluation of risks to health from environmental exposure in Canada

Abstract

Abstract Xylenes are included on the List of Priority Substances to be assessed under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. On the basis of available data, they have been classified as “unlikely to be carcinogenic to humans”. Total average daily intakes of xylenes for the general population in Canada estimated based on data on concentrations in ambient and indoor air, drinking water and at self‐serve gasoline stations are less (by 16 to 40 times) than the tolerable daily intake derived on the basis of studies in laboratory species.