PROGRESS REPORT 2000 

PCBs

Canadian workgroup co-chair: Hamish St. Rose
U.S. workgroup co-chair: Tony Martig

Workgroup Activities and the 4-Step Process

On October 2, 2000, a notice was published in the Federal Register announcing the availability of the PCB Step 3 report, entitled Options for Reducing PCBs, which was prepared in July, 2000, and which is posted on the GLBTS web site.

Reduction Activities

PCB Reduction Commitment Letters:

Since the PCB workgroup's PCB Commitment Letters were mailed in late 1999, to the automotive and iron and steel sectors in Canada, all four steel companies and all three major domestic automobile manufacturers have returned their responses. In addition, over 30 municipal electrical power utilities in Ontario have signed on to the challenge.

PCB reduction commitments were obtained from the major U.S. automobile manufacturers (DaimlerChrysler, Ford, and General Motors). All three manufacturers committed to go beyond the PCB challenge and achieve 100% removal. GM has committed to remove 100% of its PCB transformers, and is working to phase out remaining PCBs located in items such as large and small capacitors and light ballasts. GM has not established a firm commitment date for the phaseout of these PCBs, but reports that all PCB transformers (by far the greatest bulk of the company's PCBs) will be eliminated by March 2001. In addition, Ispat Inland, a steel company, has committed to reduce high-level PCBs in electrical equipment oil by 95% by 2006. The company also committed to continue a program to remove PCB transformers and capacitors located in high-risk areas, and to retrofill PCB transformers with non-PCB fluids. Ispat is also embarking on a program to eliminate PCBs that are present in hydraulic systems in their plants.

The Council for Great Lakes Industries (CGLI) has been working with the PCB workgroup to identify the most effective ways to obtain commitments from its members. CGLI has agreed to forward the workgroup's PCB reduction commitment requests to its members.

U.S. PCB Phasedown Program:

EPA met with representatives of nine of the major utilities serving the Great Lakes Basin to present the final provisions of the PCB Phasedown Program. This program is a pilot project in EPA Region 5 designed to obtain commitments from utilities to remove their remaining PCB transformers, capacitors, and voltage regulators. Under the pilot project, if a utility commits to remove its PCB equipment and self-disclose any potential violations of the PCB or TRI regulations, as an incentive, EPA would offer reductions to any penalty that may be assessed, up to 100% in some cases.

Survey of PCB In-Use Inventory:

Canada has updated its inventory of in-use PCB equipment. In February, 2000, a letter and survey were mailed to approximately 500 registered owners of in-use PCB equipment in Ontario, requesting updated information, if applicable, and details on plans for decommissioning and destruction. To date, approximately 51% of owners have returned the survey and approximately 31% of those returning the survey have submitted information on future PCB management plans. A "Fact Sheet" is being prepared which will summarize the survey results.

Amendments to PCB Regulations Underway:

Environment Canada's regulatory amendment process is underway, which proposes the strengthening of federal regulations regarding PCB management. The "Chlorobiphenyl Regulations" and "Storage of PCB Material Regulations" were promulgated in 1977 and 1992, respectively. Combined, these two regulations presently address management aspects including use, sale, manufacture, release, and storage of PCBs.

Highlights of the proposed amendments would strengthen current regulations as follows:

• PCB phase-out from sensitive sites
• Product content limit of 2 ppm (pigment)
• PCB storage time of 2 years
• Phase-out of all uses by 2008
• Prohibition against storage after 2010 for existing stored material

The public consultation/comment period closed on September 15, 2000. The amended regulation could be promulgated in the year 2001.

Coordination with the Lakewide Management Program (LaMPs):

 The workgroup leaders reviewed and provided input to the PCB action plan in the LaMPs for Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, and Lake Erie. Where identified, opportunities for leveraging GLBTS PCB-related activities to further LaMP activities will be pursued.

Equipment Photographs:

The PCB workgroup began to collect photographs of electrical equipment which may contain PCBs (transformers, capacitors, fluorescent light ballasts, etc.) to help increase the awareness of the types of equipment that may contain PCBs and to help demonstrate what this equipment looks like. So far, numerous photographs have been obtained from the UN, and these will soon be posted and labeled on the GLBTS PCB website. The workgroup plans to continue seeking photographs to post on the website until a thorough sample of PCB-containing equipment is developed.

Progress Toward Challenge Goals

Canada:

of high-level PCB waste) will be sustained. Awareness among owners continues to increase, options available for destruction have increased over the past 2 years, and owners of large quantities have been able to incorporate PCB phase-out/destruction into multi-year operating plans.

U.S.:

EPA still expects that the U.S. challenge (90 percent reduction nationally of high-level PCBs (>500ppm) used in electrical equipment) will be met by 2006. The 1999 PCB Transformer Registration Database shows that there are approximately 20,000 PCB transformers currently registered and in use in the U.S. Reductions of PCB transformers and capacitors in existing equipment continue to occur. General Motors will have eliminated all PCB transformers in the U.S. and Canada by the end of the first quarter of 2001.