What are Inadvertent Polychlorinated Biphenyls?
in·ad·vert·ent
adjective
not resulting from or achieved through deliberate planning.
Although manufacture of PCBs was banned in 1979, PCBs continue to be formed as inadvertent by products in many manufacturing processes.
pol·y·chlo·rin·at·ed bi·phen·yl
noun
any of a class of toxic aromatic compounds, often formed as a by product in industrial processes
PCBs are highly toxic to aquatic life and persist in the environment for long periods of time. They can accumulate in food chains and may produce harmful side effects at high concentrations.
Let’s remove iPCBs from our waterways.
The goal of this website is to provide information about inadvertent polychlorinated biphenyls (iPCBs) and the challenge of removing them from our environment.
We are here to provide tools and build public awareness, educate the supply chain, and reduce levels on iPCBs in both commerce and the environment.
Why are iPCBs harmful?
Certain iPCBs are troublesome due to their persistence in the environment, ability to bioaccumulate up the food chain, and their toxicity - they are found in even the most remote regions of the world due to global transport. Health impacts are amplified as PCBs accumulate in the body fat of living organisms faster than they can be broken down, resulting in widespread and long-term human and environmental exposure.
