Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)| Wastes

PCB Quick Finder
Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) (PDF) (23 pp, 152K)Caulk	Disaster Debris (PDF) (33 pp, 439K) Disposal Facilities	Light Ballast Notification of PCB Activity Form

PCB Highlights

Proper maintenance, removal, and disposal of PCB-containing fluorescent light ballasts, a guide for school administrators and maintenance personnel. EPA recommends replacement of older fluorescent light ballasts that contain PCBs. Read More | Press Release

How to minimize exposure to PCBs in caulk

Planning for Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB)-Containing Debris (PDF) (33 pp, 439K) – Guidance on planning for the management of damaged PCB-containing electrical equipment and materials contaminated with PCBs during an emergency situation caused by a natural disaster

EPA provides various paths for the public to access information about PCBs. On this web site you will learn about PCBs as they are managed under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and the PCB regulations found at 40 CFR 761. This site focuses on the management, cleanup and disposal of PCB wastes and the management of PCB-containing materials and e quipment still in use. If you have any questions about site specific PCB issues, see the EPA Regional Contacts page.

On this site you may:

Learn about PCBs - Find information about the commercial use of PCBs, common PCB trade names (e.g., Aroclor), and PCB congeners. In addition, learn about the release and exposure, as well as the health effects of PCBs.
Learn about the laws and regulations that govern PCBs - PCBs are regulated under TSCA. TSCA bans the manufacture, processing, use and distribution in commerce of PCBs. TSCA gives EPA the authority to develop, implement and enforce regulations concerning the use, manufacture, cleanup and disposal of PCBs.
Obtain PCB guidance documents - EPA has developed a number of guidance documents to assist the regulated community with managing, cleaning up and disposing of PCB wastes and PCB-contaminated materials.
Locate companies that have received EPA approval to handle PCB wastes:
- Storage and disposal companies that have received EPA approvals to store and dispose of PCB wastes;
- Companies that have received alternative decontamination approvals to decontaminate materials contaminated with PCBs; and
- Scrap metal recovery ovens operating in compliance with 40 CFR 761.72(a).
Access the Transformer Registration and PCB Activity Databases - Companies or people who have PCB transformers must register them with the EPA using form 7720-12 (PDF) (1 pg, 13K, About PDF) . EPA compiles this information and makes it available to the public.
Submit Notification of PCB Activity Form - Any company or person conducting business involving the disposal of PCBs or conducting research and development involving PCBs must notify the EPA using form 7710-53 (PDF) (1 pg, 15K, About PDF) and receive an ID number. EPA compiles this information and makes it available to the public.

This site does not address the management of PCBs under other environmental statutes such as the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). In addition, this site does not address worker health and safety or work-place exposure which are regulated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) . This site provides links to other EPA and Federal Web pages containing information about PCBs and other waste programs.

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