Dale Hamil
Technical Education Committee Member
Illinois Electric Works
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of manmade chemicals. They are oily liquids or solids, clear to yellow in color, with little or no smell or taste, and they are stable mixtures that are resistant to extreme temperature and pressure. The primary company that made PCBs in the United States was Monsanto Inc., mainly using the name Aroclor; however, many companies attached their own brand names, a list of which can be found at the bottom of this article article.
Polychlorinated biphenyls were widely used as dielectric and coolant fluids in transformers, oil filled switches, capacitors, electromagnets, cutting fluids for machining operations and in heat transfer fluids. They were even used in some carbonless copy paper. Oil-filled bushings in transformers over 69KV are known to often contain PCBs. Due to the environmental toxicity and classification as a persistent organic pollutant, PCB production was banned by the United States Congress in 1979 and by the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants in 2001.
PCBs have been identified as a likely carcinogen for humans. Because they do not degrade in the environment, PCBs accumulate in the fatty tissues of wildlife and bio-magnify higher up in the food chain where they can be harmful to top predators such as tuna, seals, polar bears and humans.
The current regulation for presence of PCBs in oil is not to exceed 50PPM (parts per million). That’s the approximate ratio of one drop for every 13.2 gallons (50 l). In other words, it does not take much for oil to be considered PCB-contaminated! It is estimated from the 1920s until their ban, that 1.5 billion pounds (680 t) of PCBs were made. Almost everyone and every living thing has some trace of PCBs in their body.
From a best practice standpoint, service centers are wise to avoid accepting or handling any oil-filled electrical device for service unless tested and certified as free of PCBs. While some companies have identified and labeled items with PCBs such as the yellow label, many equipment owners have not taken that step or are unaware. If your service center is asked to pick up equipment that you suspect MAY contain PCBs, have it field tested BEFORE picking it up. That way, the responsibility remains with the customer. Once you pick up a device that contains PCBs, the responsibility is yours.
For 30 years ending in the late 1970s, the General Electric Company (GE) discharged as much as 1.3 million pounds (590,000 kg) of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) into the Hudson River from its capacitor manufacturing plants in Hudson Falls and Fort Edward, New York. The PCBs have settled and largely remain in the Hudson River sediment, and the Hudson River continues to be an EPA Superfund site. Accordingly, GE capacitors such as power factor correction capacitors made during that period in Hudson Falls or Fort Edward, New York, should be suspected of containing PCBs, especially those with green nameplates. Do not expect a capacitor to be labeled as containing PCBs.
A field test for PCBs is available from Dexsil to check oil for PCBs. Although not a certified test, it will indicate whether PCBs are present in any discernable quantity. A positive test would require further analysis to determine the PPM. For more information, refer to www.dexsil.com/products/ pcb-and-chlorinated-organics.
What To Do If PCB Devices Are Encountered?
First, be sure to wear the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). PCBs readily penetrate skin, polyvinyl chloride (PCV) and natural rubber (latex). For gloves and aprons, use PCB-resistant materials such as Viton, polyethylene, polyvinyl acetate (PVA), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), butyl rubber, nitrile rubber or neoprene. Dispose of any PPE or contaminated clothing in the same manner as the PCB-containing device.
If you come into direct contact with PCB-contaminated oil, immediately remove contaminated clothing and wash skin with soap and water. Seek medical attention if symptoms such as skin irritation, nausea, headache or difficulty breathing occur.
If the PCB-contaminated device is leaking or showing any signs of oil, contact the appropriate authorities. Isolate the device in a secondary container if possible. Post “Do Not Touch” and “Possible PCB contaminated” signage.
Even if not leaking, it is a good practice to return the item to the customer or dispose of the item per US EPA guidelines. For capacitors, some companies have found an open-top drum half filled with sawdust or oil absorbent can provide a safe way to handle the capacitor with a low risk of accidental spillage.
Effective methods for the safe disposal of PCB-contaminated oil include high-temperature incineration or disposal at PCB-designated hazardous waste facilities. Keep careful historical records of any disposal. These methods ensure that the PCBs are destroyed or safely contained to prevent release into the environment.
Additional information is available from the US EPA at: www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-04/pcbs_in_used_oil_fact_sheet_corrected2.pdf.
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Partial List of Brand Names for PCB Fluids
- Brazil - Ascarel
- Former Czechoslovakia - Delor
- France - Phenoclor, Pyralène (both used by Prodolec)
- Germany - Clophen (used by Bayer)
- Italy - Apirolio, Fenclor
- Japan - Kanechlor (used by Kanegafuchi), Santotherm (used by Mitsubishi), Pyroclor
- Former USSR - Sovol, Sovtol
- United Kingdom - Aroclor (used by Monsanto Company), Askarel
- United States - Aroclor (used by Monsanto Company), Asbestol, Askarel, Bakola131, Chlorextol (Allis-Chalmers trade name), Hydol,, Inerteen (used by Westinghouse), Noflamol, Pyranol/Pyrenol, Chlorinol, Saf-T-Kuhl, Therminol
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