UNITED STATES PCB EMISSIONS INVENTORY

Summary | TRI | NRC | Transformer Database | Fish Advisories | STORET | IADN/RAPIDS | PCS

Summary

PCBs in Air
Data from the TRI, RAPIDS, IADN, and NRC were used to assess loadings of PCBs to the atmosphere. The analysis revealed the following contributions of PCBs to this compartment:

TRI: 278 lb (1990-1999)
RAPIDS: 160.85 lb (1998)
NRC: 3.34 lb (1990 - February 2002)

While there may be some overlap of quantities among reporting sources, these are only estimated amounts and is limited by the assumed accuracy of and commitment to reporting. In addition, hidden sources of PCB emissions, such as volatilization during transformer fires or volatilization from waste storage tanks have not been quantified.

PCBs in Land/Soil
The TRI and NRC data were used to assess the amount of PCBs released to land sources, such as landfills, surface impoundments, or soil. From 1990 - February 2002, the following quantities were released:

TRI: 2,621,169 lb (1990-1999)
NRC: 345,477.8 lb (1990 - February 2002)

The NRC summary data revealed that the majority of the releases to land were from PCB transformer or capacitor liquid spills. While most spills were contained, the fate of the cleaned up material most likely was a landfill. In addition, some spills were either not contained or not completely contained. It was not possible to quantify the amounts of PCBs that escaped, uncontained to land.

The 2001 PCB Transformer Inventory revealed that 44,148,934 pounds of PCB dielectric fluid exist in 6118 transformers within the Great Lakes states. It was not possible to quantify the failure rate of PCB transformers, but from the releases reported by the NRC, a conservative estimate of a five percent escape rate of PCBs would release 2,207,446.7 pounds of PCBs to the environment.

The U.S. EPA maintains a list of commercially permitted PCB disposal companies in the U.S. The type of technology and the number of facilities within the Great Lakes basin is summarized below [U.S. EPA (d), 2001]:

• Incinerators
• Alternate Thermal Destruction - 2
• Chemical Dechlorination
• Physical Separation - 1
• Pipeline Removal - 1
• Pipeline and Compressor Systems Decontamination - 2
• PCB Transformer Decommissioning - 1
• Fluorescent Light Ballast Recycling
• PCB Electrical Cable Processing for Metal Recovery - 2
• Chemical Waste Landfill

There are nine facilities within the eight Great Lakes states that are permitted PCB disposal companies. Landfills that specifically handle PCBs are not located within the Basin. However, under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), equipment containing PCBs at less than 50 ppm is not classified as TSCA waste and thus PCBs may accumulate in municipal landfills, for example, and continue to enter the environment unregulated.

PCBs in Sediment
The U.S. EPA GLNPO identifies polluted sediments as the main source of contaminants to the Great Lakes food chain, including the 43 AOCs. The EPA estimates that over 2000 miles, or 20% of the shoreline are impaired due to sediment contamination and fish consumption advisories remain in place throughout the Great Lakes and many inland lakes [U.S. EPA GLNPO (d), 2000]. Within the eight Great Lakes states, sediments have been assessed at 26 locations and over 1,300,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment have been remediated. EPA claims, however that the challenge of contaminated sediments is so great that sediment remediation is not yet complete at any U.S. AOC [U.S. EPA GLNPO (d), 2000].

While contaminated sediments are a priority issue within the Great Lakes Basin, the extent of PCB contamination has not been quantified. In addition to PCBs, sediments are contaminated with metals, such as lead and other materials. In an attempt to isolate the portion of contamination attributable to PCBs, we reviewed literature pertaining to contaminated sediments for all 43 AOCs in the Basin. While contaminated sediments were cited in a majority of these areas, and fish consumption advisories due to PCBs are in place at 36 of the 43 areas, the extent of contamination attributed to PCBs has not been well documented. Thirty-one of the 43 areas cited PCBs as a contaminant. Twenty-five of these are U.S. AOCs, and three sites are shared between the U.S. and Canada. However, apart from a few areas, such as Waukegan Harbor, the Green Bay, or Saginaw River, the extent of PCB contamination could not be fully determined [GLC (a), 2002].

The EPA has compiled a list of sites that are in various stages of sediment remediation. Twenty-six sites are awaiting sediment remediation and 19 sites have had some remediation but require more. Sediment remediation has been completed at only one of the 43 AOCs, Collingwood Harbour [U.S. EPA GLNPO (d), 2000].

The following table summarizes sediment information from the EPA Realizing Remediation II report as well as AOC publications, accessed through GLNPO, to tally the amounts of contaminated sediments removed from or slated for removal in the Great Lakes [GLC (b), 2002]. The totals per lake are shown below.

PCBs in Water
Data from the TRI, NRC, STORET, USGS, and the PCS indicate that PCBs are loaded to the water compartment of the environment, with the vast majority occurring as a result of spills (NRC data). The following loadings of PCBs to the Great Lakes have been tallied:

TRI: 2 pounds (1990-1999)
NRC: 1,059,650 pounds (1990 - February 2002)
PCS: 1473.17 pounds (1990-1999)

The STORET and USGS data indicate that PCBs have been detected in surface water at or below detectable levels.