Report On PCB Cleanup Options May Support EPA Proposal

Jan. 9, 2001
EPA said the findings a National Academy of Sciences report\r\nsupport the agency's actions to clean up cancer-causing PCB waste.

EPA said the findings a National Academy of Sciences (NAS) report support the agency''s actions to clean up cancer-causing PCB waste, particularly its recent proposal to dredge sections of the Hudson River in New York.

An executive summary of the NAS''s report details the scientific panel''s conclusions that PCBs may result in chronic illnesses in humans and wildlife, like cancer, reproductive and neurological diseases.

The report, which was commissioned by EPA and will not be finalized for months, does not specifically address the controversial action to dredge the Hudson, but instead offers an overview for managing the risks associated with PCBs.

PCBs -- polychlorinated biphenyls -- are synthetic organic compounds found in the air, water, sediments and soils around the world.

They were manufactured in the United States from 1929 to 1977, and were used in making transformers, adhesives, liquid-cooled electric motors and heat-transfer systems.

EPA last month proposed that General Electric spend $490 million to dredge PCBs from parts of the Hudson River, but the company said it would fight the project.

EPA''s decision is not final and subject to further review by the public and businesses.

EPA is calling for "targeted dredging" along a 40-mile stretch of the river near the sites of former GE factories north of Albany, N.Y.

The contamination there occurred between the mid-1940s and 1977 when GE factories discharged as much as 1.3 million pounds of PCBs into the river.

by Virginia Sutcliffe

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

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Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

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