EPA Guidelines for Peracetic Acid: What You Need to Know

Peracetic acid (PAA) is a powerful disinfectant used every day in food processing, healthcare, and other industries. It’s excellent at killing harmful bacteria and keeping products safe, but it can also be detrimental to people if the levels in the air get too high.

While most people look to OSHA or ACGIH for occupational exposure guidelines, many are unaware that the EPA has also published safety guidelines, known as Acute Exposure Guideline Levels (AEGLs), for PAA. These guidelines provide us with a better understanding of how much PAA in the air is considered unsafe.

EPA AEGLs for PAA (8-hour time-weighted average)

• AEGL-1: 0.17 ppm – At this level, people might start to feel irritation in their eyes, nose, or throat, but the effects go away once exposure stops.
• AEGL-2: 0.51 ppm – At this level, exposure could cause more serious and lasting health effects, and individuals may have difficulty evacuating the area.
• AEGL-3: 1.3 ppm – At this level, exposure could be life-threatening.

Why This Matters

Although OSHA has not yet established an official permissible exposure limit for PAA, these EPA guidelines serve as a helpful reference, along with the Threshold Limit Values published by ACGIH. They give us clear benchmarks to understand when exposure becomes unsafe.

For companies that use PAA regularly, this serves as a reminder of the importance of continuous monitoring. Workers may not be able to detect or smell PAA at dangerous levels, and constant monitoring can identify it before it reaches harmful concentrations.

The Bottom Line

The EPA’s AEGLs demonstrate the importance of keeping PAA levels in check. By utilizing the proper monitoring tools and implementing effective safety practices, companies can safeguard their employees and foster a safer and more efficient workplace.