PCBs from Building Materials and Other Sources in the Urban Environment

Transcription

1 Western Washington University Western CEDAR Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference 2014 Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (Seattle, Wash.) Apr 30th, 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM PCBs from Building Materials and Other Sources in the Urban Environment Daniel Cargill Washington Department of Ecology, daca461@ecy.wa.gov Follow this and additional works at: Part of the Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons Cargill, Daniel, "PCBs from Building Materials and Other Sources in the Urban Environment" (2014). Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference This Event is brought to you for free and open access by the Conferences and Events at Western CEDAR. It has been accepted for inclusion in Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference by an authorized administrator of Western CEDAR. For more information, please contact westerncedar@wwu.edu.

2 Dan Cargill PCBs in the Green-Duwamish Watershed

3 PCBs in Industrial Applications Useful Properties to Industry Electrical insulating properties Low flammability Fire resistant Chemical stability Durability Resistant to degradation Softener and plasticizer

4 PCBs Air Deposition in Industrial Scoping Applications Completely closed systems Transformers and Capacitors Small capacitors in electric motors (cars, washing machines, pumps, submersible water well pumps)

5 PCBs Air Deposition in Industrial Scoping Applications Nominally closed systems Hydraulic fluids Heat Transfer Equipment Oil-filled electrical cable Fluorescent light ballasts Other electrical equipment (voltage regulators, switches bushings, electromagnets)

6 PCBs in Industrial Applications Open-ended Applications Insulation - foam rubber, wool felt, fiberglass, etc Caulking and grout Cutting oils Carbonless copy paper Gaskets in HVAC systems Air and gas compressor lubricants Coatings and sealants (waterproofing, anti-fouling, fire retardant, spray-on fireproofing material)

7 PCBs Air Deposition in Industrial Scoping Applications Open-ended Applications Oil-based paints Inks and Dyes Adhesives/mastic Preserved wood Coatings for water pipes and storage tanks Sound-dampening materials Asphalt roofing materials Microscope oil Ceiling tile coatings

8 PCBs in Industrial Applications Open-ended Applications Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic Insulation from wire or cable Radio, television & computer casings Furniture laminates

9 Air Deposition Scoping PCBs in Industrial Applications Open-ended Applications Roofing and siding materials

10 Air Deposition PCBs in Industrial Scoping Applications Open-ended Applications Floor finishes

11 PCBs in Building Materials Caulk and Other Sealants In several northeastern schools: 18% of 427 interior caulk/sealant samples >50 ppm PCBs 6% of interior samples >100,000 ppm (10% by weight) 63% of 73 exterior caulk/sealant samples >50 ppm PCBs 34% of exterior samples >100,000 ppm Highest level was 440,000 ppm PCBs (44% by weight) Caulk with high PCB levels is usually still flexible and often largely intact Visual identification of caulk with PCBs is not reliable

12 PCBs in Building Materials Ecology 2011 Study PCBs in buildings constructed 1950 & 1977: ~ 7,500 Building at Sea-Tac Airport Built in ,000 mg/kg PCBs in caulk Span of PCBs in building materials now 1950 & 1989

13 Air Deposition Scoping PCBs in Other Places

14 Air Deposition Scoping PCBs in Other Places

15 PCBs NOT A LEGACY CONTAMINANT TSCA contains a loophole allowing for inadvertent production of PCBs PCB concentrations in the product have to average less than 25 ppm and can be no higher than 50 ppm. Transfer of PCBs in a concentration of 50 mg/kg or over is prohibited by the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants.

16 PCBs NOT A LEGACY CONTAMINANT Known inadvertent PCB sources Organic pigments, especially diarylide yellow, produce primarily PCB 11, among others Titanium dioxide (inorganic white pigment) produces PCBs 206, 208, and 209 Silicone rubber tubing produces PCBs 44 and 45, among others (don t use for PCB sampling!)

17 Air Deposition Scoping PCBs NOT A LEGACY CONTAMINANT Conventional wisdom : A product designated as PCB-free has no PCBs The PCBs in the environment are mostly from transformers and bad management practices PCBs were no longer manufactured after 1977 Facts: A product can contain up to 50 ppm PCB and can be categorized as PCB-free PCBs continue to be present in paint, caulk and other materials still in use PCBs are allowed as an inadvertent contaminant and in limited cases, made for, specific uses. They are produced and enter the environment from everyday products

18 PCBs ARE NOT IMMOBILE PCBs Move!

19 Applications of Polychlorinated biphenyls Mitchell D. Erickson & Robert G. Kaley II Environmental Science and Pollution Research February 2011 Volume 18, Issue 2 pp

20 QUESTIONS? DAN CARGILL WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY TOXICS CLEANUP PROGRAM NORTHWEST REGIONAL OFFICE