EPA Method TO-10a:
Determination of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Ambient Air
PCBs were banned in 1979, but many schools built between 1950 and 1980 still contain PCBs. Unfortunately, PCBs can also affect human health and the environment. They also take a very long time to break down in the environment and they can be stored in our bodies for a long time. These older buildings can release PCBs into dust and the surrounding air. It is estimated that between a quarter and a half of the 48,000 schools built or renovated between 1950 and 1979 in the United States may have used materials containing PCBs. (Managing PCBs in Schools. Western States PEHSU fact sheet 2017)
For full details on the EPA/NERL PCB in Schools study; click the link to download PCBs in School Buildings: Sources, Environmental Levels and Exposures (2012).
