Let’s remove iPCBs from our waterways.
National iPCB Campaign
The Spokane River continues to exceed water quality limits for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which can bioaccumulate in fish and pose health hazards when the fish are consumed. Therefore, we have created a national campaign to reduce the limits of inadvertent PCBs (iPCBs) that are allowed in certain products, in order to improve water quality in the Spokane River and other bodies of water. We seek to inform supply chain and communities across the country that iPCBs may be produced under certain processes that have chlorine and high temperature present.
What are PCBs?
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a class of man-made organic chemicals consisting only of carbon, hydrogen and chlorine atoms.
PCBs can be divided into two broad groups based on their origins: legacy and inadvertent PCBs.
Legacy PCBs
Legacy PCBs refer to those that were historically intentionally manufactured for use in products.
Inadvertent PCBs
Inadvertent PCBs (iPCBs) refer to those that are produced as by-products or contaminants from manufacturing other products.
PCBs are not nice.
PCBs can pose health hazards that may include:
Increased risk of cancer
Immune deficiencies
Neurotoxicity
Reproductive impacts
Developmental effects
Skin changes
PCBs like to travel.
PCBs are found in even the most remote regions of the world due to global transport. They can be carried long distances and have been found in snow and sea water in areas far from where they were released into the environment. As a consequence, they are found all over the world in many environments, products, and food.
PCBs run marathons.
PCBs do not readily break down once in the environment. They can remain for long periods cycling between air, water, and soil. Humans can be exposed to PCBs via air, water, soil, inhalation, and ingestion.
Where do iPCBs come from and how do they get into the environment?
Inadvertent PCBs come from primary sources and are used in secondary products that can find pathways to the environment.
Primary production sources: facilities that directly generate inadvertent PCBs, such as some chemical and pigment manufacturers
Secondary products: downstream users of Primary Production Source chemicals that contain iPCBs, such as certain inks, paints, paper and packaging and paper recyclers
Primary
Primary production sources include:
Organic and inorganic pigment manufacture
Production of chlorinated solvents
Agricultural chemicals
Wood treatment
Secondary Products
Secondary Products that may contain inadvertent PCBs are typically associated with facilities that discharge effluent into rivers, streams, lakes, and oceans. Potential sources for these inadvertent PCBs include:
Paper mills: recycling of newsprint and packaging that contains inks
Wastewater treatment: antibacterial hand soap, dish soap, laundry detergent, shampoo, toothpaste, clothing colorants
Municipal stormwater runoff: road paints, pesticides, de-icers, other sources from industry and individual disposal