Partner’s qualified Industrial Hygiene professionals provide testing to identify Polychlorinated biphenyls in caulk and offer professional remediation services to ensure the safe removal of contaminated materials, so property owners stay in compliance with the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) regulation.
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) are a group of pollutants that are long-lived in the environment. PCBs are persistent manmade chemicals that were widely used in construction material and electrical products before 1979. Though they have been banned from U.S. production since 1979, PCBs remain at many sites (buildings) and must be disposed of properly to prevent further environmental contamination. The presence of these potentially harmful chemicals can expose building occupants to significant human health risks.
PCBs were widely used in caulking and elastic sealant materials, particularly from 1950 through the 1970s. These materials were primarily used in rubber window seal gaskets, door frames, floor and expansion joints, various types of adhesive/mastics, masonry columns, and other masonry building materials. PCBs have also been found associated with both thermal/fiberglass insulation, roofing mastics, and soil. Testing caulk and surfacing materials for PCBs is simple, yet the management of the results is complicated. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s webpage on PCBs in Caulk includes a summary of How to Test for PCBs and Characterize Suspect Materials. EPA recommends engaging a professional Industrial Hygiene consultant to provide building material bulk testing and an evaluation of HVAC systems for PCB contamination.
Before PCB bulk sampling is conducted, Partner suggests that the sampling strategy and management of the results be thought out ahead of time. Our industrial hygiene professionals can help formulate and implement a cost-effective and practical characterization and sampling plan to address PCBs in building materials.
40 CFR Part 761 (the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) is a complex regulation which includes many sections, subsections, and requirements. Since PCB-containing materials at concentration > 50 parts per million (ppm) is regulated as a bulk product waste under this TSCA, the regulations do not require testing, however, if testing shows PCB concentrations above the regulatory limit of > 50 ppm the regulations require the removal of those PCBs. It is recommended that you consult an industrial hygiene specialist to assist you with:
Partner’s remediation and Industrial Hygiene practices include PCB specialists with significant TSCA experience and Certified Industrial Hygienists (CIH) who can provide all phases of planning, investigation, and the management of testing results.
Because the presence of PCB caulk inside of buildings can result in the potential for worker and occupant exposures, it is important that a qualified CIH is involved in planning and management of results when PCB caulk is found within a building.
All of Partner’s PCB Testing services are performed by accredited professionals in accordance with all applicable standards and regulations, including EPA guidance for testing caulk and 40 CFR Part 761.61 (TSCA) for PCM remediation waste (that may be associated with caulk).
