Environmental Profile of PCBs
in the Great Lakes

Canadian Environmental Law Association Logo  |  Great Lakes Centers Logo

REGULATIONS AND POLICY

Canadian PCB Regulations and Policy

Overview | Federal | Ontario | Quebec | Federal-Provincial

EPA and OWRA | Regulation 347 - General-Waste Management | Regulation 362 - Waste Management-PCBs | Regulation 352 - Mobile PCB Destruction Facilities [page 1] [page 2] [page 3]

Ontario: Regulation 352 - Mobile PCB Destruction Facilities (continued)

Section 6 of Ontario Regulation 352: Standards for Use and Operation of Mobile PCB Destruction Facility Waste Disposal Sites

6. (1) No person shall use, operate or establish a mobile PCB destruction facility waste disposal site except in accordance with the following standards:

1. The maximum one-half hour average concentration of PCB in air at a point of impingement from a mobile PCB destruction facility waste disposal site shall not be greater than 450 nanograms per cubic metre of air.
2. The maximum one-half hour average concentrations of chlorinated dibenzodioxins and chlorinated dibenzofurans in air at a point of impingement from a mobile PCB destruction facility waste disposal site shall be such that the following calculation results in a value of A less than or equal to one:

X over 450 pg over m cubed  plus Y over 450 times 50 pg over m cubed equals A.

where
x =
one half hour concentration, in pg/m3, of chlorinated dibenzodioxin determined at a point of impingement,
 
y =
one half hour concentration, in pg/m3, of chlorinated dibenzofuran determined at a point of impingement, and
 
pg/m3 =

picograms per cubic metre.

3. The one-half hour average concentrations of PCB, chlorinated dibenzodioxins and di-benzofurans in air at a point of impingement shall be determined by measurement of the air or by calculation in accordance with the Appendix to Regulation 346 of the Revised Regulations of Ontario, 1990 except, where the calculation is used, the maximum height above grade of the point of emission, for purposes of the calculation, shall be 12.2 metres.
4. For Class 1 systems, the mass air emissions from the system shall be no greater than 0.001 grams PCB per kilogram of the PCB introduced into the system.
5. Solid waste that originates from the operation of a mobile PCB destruction facility waste disposal site shall be dealt with as follows:

i. Where the waste contains a concentration of fifty milligrams per kilogram or less of PCB, the waste shall be disposed of in a properly certified waste disposal site.
ii. Waste that contains a concentration exceeding fifty milligrams per kilogram of PCB shall not be diluted.
iii. Where the waste contains a concentration exceeding fifty milligrams per kilogram of PCB, Regulation 362 of the Revised Regulations of Ontario, 1990 applies to its storage, transportation and disposal.

6. PCB equipment shall not be decontaminated at a mobile PCB destruction facility waste disposal site unless the certificate of approval for the site expressly allows the activity.
7. Cooling water, surface drainage water, including contaminated precipitation, and other wastewater that originates from the operation of a mobile PCB destruction facility waste disposal site shall be dealt with as follows:

i. Where the wastewater contains a concentration of up to five micrograms per litre of PCB, it may be discharged,

A. to a municipal sewage treatment plant,

1. if the certificate of approval of the site expressly allows the activity and specifies the municipal sewage treatment plants that may receive the discharge, or
2. in accordance with written instructions of the Director,

B. except as prohibited in subsection (2), by spraying it on soil,

1. if the certificate of approval of the site expressly allows the activity, or

2. in accordance with written instructions of the Director,

C. directly or indirectly into water,

1. if the certificate of approval of the site expressly allows the activity, or
2. in accordance with written instructions of the Director.

ii. Where the wastewater contains a concentration of five micrograms per litre or greater of PCB, it shall be treated, through removal or destruction of the PCB, to reduce the PCB concentration to less than five micrograms per litre and discharged as provided in subparagraph i.
iii. Wastewater containing tetrachlorinated to octachlorinated dibenzodioxins or tetrachlorinated to octachlorinated dibenzofurans shall not be discharged, directly or indirectly, into water unless the concentration of these materials in the wastewater ultimately discharged to the natural environment is equal to or less than 0.25 nanograms per litre for each congener group of these chemicals based on a one litre sample size.

8. Every person storing PCB waste at a mobile PCB destruction facility waste disposal site shall ensure that the PCB waste is in a safe and secure location so as to prevent PCB waste coming into contact with any person and so that all liquid containing PCBs that may escape can be readily recovered and will not discharge, directly or indirectly, into a watercourse or groundwater.
9. All PCB liquid that is spilled shall be safely and effectively contained forthwith and the liquid and all associated contaminated materials shall be placed in closed containment.
10. Except as provided in subsection (3), each mobile PCB destruction facility waste disposal site shall have an assigned storage area where all PCB wastes awaiting treatment, decontamination or destruction are contained.
11. The storage area referred to in paragraph 10 shall be contained by a spill collection tray system or an impoundment on an impermeable pad or floor of sufficient capacity to contain 100 per cent of the volume of the stored liquid or such lesser amount, consistent with maintaining the protection of human health and the natural environment, as the Director stipulates as a condition attaching to the site certificate of approval.
12. Precipitation shall be either excluded from spill containment areas or collected and sampled and that which is contaminated with PCBs dealt with in accordance with paragraph 7.
13. For Class 1 and 2 sites, the volume of PCB wastes contained in the storage area referred to in paragraph 10 shall not exceed the volume required for 120 hours of operation or such greater amount as the Director, after considering the capacity of the system, the type of storage, the site location and the contingency plans and spill containment features for the site, permits as a condition attaching to the site certificate of approval.
14. Drums and storage tanks used to store PCB waste shall be of good quality, free from corrosion and visible defects, sealed and clearly identified as containing PCB waste.
15. When a transfer of PCB liquid from one container to another is necessary, the PCB liquid shall be pumped whenever practical.
16. Mobile PCB destruction machinery including pumps, hoses, connections and other equipment used to handle PCB waste shall be thoroughly inspected for leaks and signs of wear during each start-up and shut-down of operation of the equipment and at least once during every continuous eight hour period of operation of the equipment.
17. The operator of the facility shall keep records of the inspections carried out in accordance with paragraph 16 and shall include the following:

i. The time and date of the inspection.
ii. The name and job title of the person carrying out the inspection.
iii. A description of the equipment inspected.
iv. The reason for the inspection.
v. The observations made.
vi. Any tests carried out and the results of the tests.
vii. A description of all equipment replaced and repairs and maintenance carried out as a result of every inspection.
viii. The signature of the person making the inspection verifying that the information is correct.

18. Pumps, hoses, connectors and other equipment used to handle PCB waste shall not be used for any other purpose unless they have been decontaminated, prior to any other use being made of them.
19. Class 1 and 2 sites shall be enclosed to prevent entry by unauthorized persons and access to the property shall be controlled by a gate capable of being locked.
20. All operations at the site shall be adequately and continually supervised.
21. Access to the site shall be limited to the times an attendant is on duty.
22. Except as provided in subsection (4), where a location is to be used as a Class 1 site the facility and associated equipment, including PCB waste storage containers shall be at least 250 metres from occupied residences, public buildings, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, commercial or industrial food processing or preparation establishments, farm buildings containing livestock, feedlots and livestock feed processing or handling establishments.
23. Except as provided in subsection (4), where a location is to be used as a Class 2 site the facility and associated equipment, including PCB waste storage containers, shall be at least twenty metres from occupied residences, public buildings, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, commercial or industrial food processing or preparation establishments, farm buildings containing livestock, feedlots and livestock feed processing or handling establishments.
24. No systems and associated equipment, including PCB waste storage containers, shall be located,

i. closer than 100 metres from any watercourse, except that equipment at a Class 3 site may be closer if the equipment can be adequately isolated from the watercourse using impermeable impoundments or barriers, and
ii. closer than 100 metres from any drainage system, including openings to sanitary and storm sewer systems, except that equipment may be closer if the equipment can be adequately isolated from the drainage system using impermeable impoundments or barriers.

25. The terrain of a site on which the mobile PCB destruction facility is to be established shall be reasonably level and well graded.
26. Soil or ground cover characteristics shall be such as to facilitate prompt containment and clean-up of all spills of liquid containing PCBs.
27. Where parameters have been identified and operational ranges established as conditions attaching to a certificate of approval for control of a mobile PCB destruction facility waste management system, the input of PCB waste to the destruction unit of the system shall cease forthwith upon the operational range for any of the identified parameters being exceeded.

(2) Sub-subparagraph B of subparagraph i of paragraph 7 of subsection (1) does not apply to permit spraying in residential, school or public parkland areas or where the total spray volume at the soil spray site would result in a concentration of PCB of greater than 5 milligrams per kilogram in the soil layer located from the surface of the ground to a depth of 15 centimetres below ground surface.
(3) Paragraph 10 of subsection (1) does not apply to any mobile PCB destruction facility located at an existing PCB waste disposal site established under Regulation 362 of the Revised Regulations of Ontario, 1990 or a certificate of approval specifying the manner in which PCB waste may be stored.
(4) For the purposes of paragraphs 22 and 23 of subsection (1), commercial or industrial food processing or preparation establishments do not include food processing or preparation facilities associated with lunchrooms, cafeterias or similar establishments controlled by the owner or operator of the site mainly for the use by employees of the owner or operator. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 352, s. 6

Regulation 352 (page 3 of 3) >>

 

Link to the website for the Canadian Environmental Law Association Link to the website for the Great Lakes Centers for Occupational & Environmental Safety & Health Canadian PCB Emissions Inventory Emissions Estimates by Data Source