EPA’s Review of PCBs in the Hudson River Will Take Another Month to Complete

April 27, 2012 - PRLog -- Decades ago, the General Electric Company released poly-chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) into the Hudson River in New York. The company is now looking at a clean up which will cost around $1 billion.

After 2 years of dredging the river, crews from the Environmental Protection Agency will be returning to the river this season. The EPA was originally scheduled to finish their review of the PCB contamination and cleanup by the end of this month, but recently decided to extend the review one more month. The decision was brought on after the agency received numerous calls from local congressional representatives and environmentalists.

PCBs are man-made toxic chemicals that persist in the environment and bioaccumulate in animals and humans. PCBs were manufactured in the United States between 1950 and 1978, before their manufacture was banned by Congress due to health and environmental concerns. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), studies have shown that PCBs cause cancer in animals and have non-cancer effects on the immune system, reproductive system, and endocrine system. In addition, new research indicates that prenatal exposure to the chemicals can lead to low birth weight, stunted growth, asthma, immune weakness, Attention Deficit Disorder, memory problems, and decreased IQ.

“EMSL Analytical has decades of experience providing quality testing services for PCBs,” states Michael Chapman, Laboratory Manager. “We analyze samples according to EPA methodology, so clients are confident that they are complying with regulations and trust our results’ accuracy.”

For more information regarding EMSL’s PCB testing services please call 800-220-3675, e-mail info@EMSL.com, or visit www.EMSL.com.
About EMSL Analytical, Inc.

EMSL Analytical, Inc. is a full service testing company providing quality lab services under the same private ownership since 1981. Including the corporate lab facility in Cinnaminson, NJ, EMSL Analytical operates over thirty laboratories nationwide in the US and Canada. We provide analytical services for environmental, indoor air quality (IAQ), industrial hygiene, forensics and materials science, consumer products, food safety, PCR, pharmaceutical, asbestos, lead, and radiological samples. The company has an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations, as well as state and federal regulating bodies. Please see our website for a complete listing of accreditations.