by Mr. M. Ponnambalam

The supply and use of PCB containing equipment such as transformers are administratively prohibited in ADNOC and its Group of Companies. All suspected equipment has been sampled and analyzed for the presence of PCB at or above 50 mg/kg, the control limit for transformer oils. Action has been taken by the concerned operations in the oil and Gas Industry to phase out those equipment containing PCBs even at levels as low as 50mg/kg.

PCBs unique properties led to a wide range of industrial applications. The same properties made it harmful to the environment.

• Bioaccumulative, persistent and potentially toxic.

• Very resistant to chemical and biochemical degradation, and therefore also persists in the environment.

• Soluble in fats and oils, and therefore also tends to accumulate in the fatty tissues of living organisms.

• Widely dispersed into the environment at low concentrations.

• Assimilated into the food chain. Significant levels appear in the body fats of predatory birds, and of sea mammals such as seals, otters and dolphins.

• Reliably linked with the inability of such animals to reproduce successfully, with birth defects in young, and with their deaths through immune deficiency.

• Some of the equipment contains PCB, or may contain PCB or may contain PCB; a site is or may be contaminated with PCB.

• Plan a sample survey – consider whether you will do a full survey if the sample survey shows that you have some PCB equipment or PCB waste.

• Will the extra information be worth the cost of the survey?

• Because of their fire resistance, high resistivity, chemical dielectric strength and low power factor they were particularly used in the electrical industry.

• In electricity generating and distribution, PCB was mainly a capacitor impregnant and transformer coolant.

• Dilluent solvents such as tri- and tetrachlorbenzene were often used in conjunction with PCB in transformer fluids to reduce viscosity.

• PCB has been implicated in population declines of seals in the Baltic Sea and Wadden Sea.

• PCB in the Marine Environment.

• The highest levels of PCB when observed was attributed to dockyard operations – where PCB is used in transformers or as flame retardant in hydraulic oils.

• Yusho, Japan 1968.

• Contamination rice – bran oil with commercial PCB mixture

• Kanechlor – 400 – more than 1600 victims YU-Cheng (Taiwan, 1979)

• PCB Poisoning incident – more than 2000 victims

Risk assessment – to evaluate risk to health and environment, manage and control exposure (monitoring-exposure; environmental health surveillance – Is it appropriate? (information, instruction and training on what should be done.

- Hazardous waste

The European Community (EC) has adopted a number of Directives aimed at restricting he use of PCB and PCT.

EC Directives 76/769/EEC and 85/467/EEC

• Restricted the marketing of PCB

• Restricted the use of PCB to and in closed systems

• Defined the threshold concentration of PCB or PCT in a mixture, including waste oil. Above the threshold the restrictions would apply.

• Set targets for the eliminating of PCB and PCT, while allowing member states to exempt any equipment could continue in use to the end of its service life.

• EC Directive 89/677/EEC, amending for the 8^th time 76/769/EEC, changed the concentration above which a preparation (mixture of substances) would be considered a PCB or PCT and thus subject to control.

The UK regulations call such mixtures injurious substances:

• Waste Containing PCB and PCT was previously an injurious substances of its PCB or PCT was 100 PPM.
• Waste Containing PCB and PCT is now an injurious substances of its PCB or PCT level is 50 PPM.

US EPA definition of PCB Containing Waste Limits the level to 50 PPM PBC.

The equipment containing PCBs at or above 50 PPM are adequately labeled with appropriate warming signs.

• They will be continued to used till the end of their service period.

• The spill of oils from suspect equipment has been and will be analyzed for the presence of PCB for required follow up actions.

• Waste will be stored at our facility.