LTR - Ep 64 - What Are PolyChlorinated Biphenyls aka PCBs?

PCBs, polychlorinated biphenyls as an environmental contaminant is what we're talking about today.

Polychlorinated biphenyls, why the acronym is PCBs or PCB, are man-made organic chemicals that actually in the U.S. have been banned since 1979.

They widely were used as electrical insulators and coolants also.

most commonly found in old transformers, transformers that are on poles, power poles.

And they were in the oils that were in these transformers.

And of course, over time, those transformers rust and deteriorate and leak and that transformer oil out of the transformer, down the pole, and into the soil, and then ultimately it spreads throughout our environment.

PCBs were banned in 1979 due to their high toxicity and the fact that they are persistent in our environment, meaning they don't easily break down.

So they stand for long periods of time.

And for that... uh, because of that, they spread throughout our, uh, our environment.

So the persistence, PCBs resist breaking down in water and in soil and in the air.

And so they last for decades in our environment.

And when they don't break down and they last for so long, they get spread.

And how precipitation, meaning rain, washes away and moves things from one place to another.

And so it spreads throughout our environment.

And so for that reason, it sticks around forever.

And it can go huge long distances because it doesn't break down.

So that's why PCBs were outlawed or banned in the United States since 1979.

So Again, they come from leaking transformer poles is the most probable cause of environmental contamination of PCBs.

Also, you know, because they were used as coolants and as insulators for, you know, the electricity going through transformers.

Also in hydraulic fluids.

Yeah.

And so because they, again, they are highly toxic, they actually have been found to be a carcinogen, meaning they can cause cancer.

And so, again, they were banned since 1979.

And any time that... source of soil or water on or on solid surface anytime a sample is found to have any more than 50 ppm parts per million 50 parts per million special handling is required of that particular sample because of and how that handling is going to be disposed of you know because it's considered hazardous waste at 50 ppm or more Um, so special handling has to take place because again, it's, it's been found to be a carcinogen.

Um, so again, PCBs is polychlorinated biphenyls.

PCBs, polychlorinated biphenyls as an environmental contaminant is what we're talking about today.

Polychlorinated biphenyls, why the acronym is PCBs or PCB, are man-made organic chemicals that actually in the U.S. have been banned since 1979.

They widely were used as electrical insulators and coolants also.

most commonly found in old transformers, transformers that are on poles, power poles.

And they were in the oils that were in these transformers.

And of course, over time, those transformers rust and deteriorate and leak and that transformer oil out of the transformer, down the pole, and into the soil, and then ultimately it spreads throughout our environment.

PCBs were banned in 1979 due to their high toxicity and the fact that they are persistent in our environment, meaning they don't easily break down.

So they stand for long periods of time.

And for that... uh, because of that, they spread throughout our, uh, our environment.

So the persistence, PCBs resist breaking down in water and in soil and in the air.

And so they last for decades in our environment.

And when they don't break down and they last for so long, they get spread.

And how precipitation, meaning rain, washes away and moves things from one place to another.

And so it spreads throughout our environment.

And so for that reason, it sticks around forever.

And it can go huge long distances because it doesn't break down.

So that's why PCBs were outlawed or banned in the United States since 1979.

So Again, they come from leaking transformer poles is the most probable cause of environmental contamination of PCBs.

Also, you know, because they were used as coolants and as insulators for, you know, the electricity going through transformers.

Also in hydraulic fluids.

Yeah.

And so because they, again, they are highly toxic, they actually have been found to be a carcinogen, meaning they can cause cancer.

And so, again, they were banned since 1979.

And any time that... source of soil or water on or on solid surface anytime a sample is found to have any more than 50 ppm parts per million 50 parts per million special handling is required of that particular sample because of and how that handling is going to be disposed of you know because it's considered hazardous waste at 50 ppm or more Um, so special handling has to take place because again, it's, it's been found to be a carcinogen.

Um, so again, PCBs is polychlorinated biphenyls.