Does anybody know anything about PCBs and the dangers of them?

Question

I work @ a plant that burns waste? We got a truck load of PCB's in. I did an analysis on the sample, figured it to be PCBs, and rejected the truck. My boss told me not to reject the waste, do a 100 x dilution and run it again. Obviously nothing was to be detected. We continued offloading this waste until another worker discovered it was PCBs. So we started rejecting the waste and sent a sample to an outside lab for analyis. It came back positive for PCBs. How do I report my supervisor because now we have been burning PCBs for a week?

Answer 1

PCBs (aka polychlorinated biphenyls) are a commercially produced family of chemicals that were phased out of production in the US in the 1970s due to concerns of its toxicity and persistence in the environment. PCBs used to be used as electrical insulation oil for transformers, hydraulic fluid, carbonless copy paper, and other uses. PCB-containing products made before the phase out are still in circulation however, and many facilities must now consider how to safely manage/dispose of their old PCB-containing equipment.

Animal testing has linked PCB exposure to liver damage and cancer, and its considered a probable human carcinogen.

There are very specific rules that govern the proper disposal of waste which contain PCBs. Incineration is an approved method of destroying PCBs but only under specific operating conditions and the approval of USEPA. If you're looking for some light reading, check out the Code of Federal Regulations 40 CFR 761.

You'd hope your supervisor knows what he's doing and is familiar with whether or not your facility is permitted to burn PCBs. But his request to have you perform that dilution is very suspect. (As an aside, a facility cannot dilute PCB waste for the purposes of exempting themselves from any applicable disposal requirements in 40 CFR 761).

I would express your concern to your supervisor's boss first, maybe they can clearly explain to you why they are proceeding with the burning. On the other hand, maybe they aren't aware of what your supervisor is doing.

One way or another, I'm certain that this is a matter that the upper management takes VERY seriously and will take immediate corrective action if necessary.

Answer 2

In the 1970's (or there abouts) a major industry in my area dumped PCB's in a local river. The PCB was used as an electrical insulator.
For many years after the introduction of the PCB's, eating fish from the river was forbidden. The PCB gets into the food chain. It's eaten by small aquatic animals, which in turn are eaten by larger fish. The river was eventually dredged, at great expense. PCB's are a known carcinogenic agent (causing cancer), and has non-cancerous toxic effects on the nervous & endocrine systems, skin, more.
Don't know what the end products of burning PCB's are, but doesn't seem like something that I'd want to inhale.
Suggest that you ask this question in the "chemistry" catagory.

Answer 3

I know that PCBs are created in electrical power transformers. PCBs develop in the oil in the transformer over time. I think that the flow of electrons through the oil, or the intense magnetic fields that go through the oil as well, react with the oil to create PCBs. I am not sure the exact dangers of them except that they are carcinogenic. Power transformers these days are filled with mineral oil, or oil made with some kind of vegetables that is refined a little differently than cooking oils. These new oils are not supposed to create PCBs over time.

Answer 4

well do to their chemical lack of reactability, chances are it will take a long long time before they break down, unless you know what they are and have a specific way in which to do so!