PCB Health Concerns on the Minds of Illinois Residents

May 7, 2012 - PRLog -- Just last month, The Daily Illini published a report about many Illinois residents being up in arms over a DeWitt County landfill’s plans to dump 2.5 million cubic yards of PCB contaminated waste at the site.  The landfill just happens to be over a giant reservoir of groundwater used by ¾ of a million people.

The production of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) was banned by the United States Congress in 1979.  Even though that was over thirty years ago, PCBs are still making the news today.

The reason for the concern is due to the fact that PCBs do not readily break down and therefore may remain for long periods of time cycling between air, water and soil. PCBs can be carried long distances and have been found all over the world. PCBs have been demonstrated to cause cancer, as well as a variety of other adverse health effects on the immune, reproductive, nervous and endocrine systems.

“Although no longer commercially produced in the United States, PCBs may be present in products and materials produced before the 1979 ban,” reported Mr. Chambers, President of EC2, a leading environmental and indoor air quality (IAQ) testing company.  “Three years ago, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced new guidance regarding PCBs in caulk from buildings constructed or renovated between 1950 and 1978.  The EPA recommends testing for PCBs in peeling, brittle, cracking or deteriorating caulk in buildings, especially when found in school environments.  People need to be aware of dangers associated with exposure to PCBs.  EC2 can help by testing suspect materials and other types of samples to ensure they are free of PCBs,” he continued.

EC2 recently sponsored an online educational video about PCBs and indoor environments.  It can be seen at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Di0MKIDUya8



To learn more about PCBs, indoor air quality or other environmental and building science services, please visit http://www.4ec2inc.com, email info@4ec2inc.com or call (815) 703-9000.

About EC2, Inc.
EC2 is a leading provider of environmental consulting and inspection services for customers in the United States.  Based in the Chicago area, the company provides their services to clients ranging from local companies and institutions to international Fortune 500 Corporations.