[ciaq] EPA-City of New York Agreement on PCBs in School Caulk

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EPA-City of New York Agreement on PCBs in School Caulkþ

From:

CIAQ

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Dear

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EPA Announces Agreement with the City of New York on PCBs in School Caulk

US EPA Region 2 (New York) Contacts:

Media: Elias , , rodriguez.elias@...

Public: Berry Shore, , shore.berry@...

(New York, N.Y. – Jan. 19, 2010) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today

announced an agreement with the City of New York to address the risks posed by

PCBs in caulk found in some city schools. The agreement is intended to result

in a city-wide approach to assessing and reducing potential exposures to PCBs

in caulk in schools.

“The work that the City of New York has agreed to do will go a long way toward

helping us better understand the potential risks posed by PCBs in caulk, and

our work to reduce the exposure of school children, teachers and others who

work in New York City public schools,” said Judith Enck, EPA Regional

Administrator. “New York City’s 1,600 public schools make it the largest school

system in the nation, and we believe that the program outlined in this

agreement, along with general EPA guidance on managing the issue, will serve as

a model for school systems across the country.”

The agreement announced today requires the city to conduct a study in five

schools to determine the most effective strategies for assessing and reducing

potential exposures to PCBs in caulk. The city will then produce a proposed

plan for any cleanups needed in the five schools and use this information to

develop a recommended city-wide approach.

EPA is also requiring the city to develop and submit for approval best

management practices for reducing exposure to PCBs in caulk in school

buildings. These may include cleaning the schools, improving ventilation, and

addressing deteriorating caulk.

Although Congress banned the manufacture and most uses of PCBs in 1976 and they

were phased out in 1978, there is evidence that many buildings across the

country constructed or renovated from 1950 to 1978 may have PCBs at high levels

in the caulk around windows and door frames, between masonry columns and in

other masonry building materials.

Exposure to these PCBs may occur as a result of their release from the

caulk into the air, dust, surrounding surfaces and soil, and through direct

contact. In September 2009, EPA provided new guidance to communities and

announced additional research to address PCBs that may be found in the caulk in

many older buildings, including schools. Today’s agreement complements EPA’s

national efforts by helping building owners and managers facing serious PCB

problems develop practical approaches to reduce exposures and prioritize the

removal of PCB caulk.

The legally binding agreement announced today settles potential violations of

the Toxic Substances Control Act by the city for having caulk that contains

PCBs above allowable levels in some schools. As part of the study of the five yet to be determined

schools, the city will sample extensively in them, and will ensure that any PCB

waste is properly removed. Once the study is concluded the city will work with

EPA to develop and implement a plan to identify, prioritize, and address the

presence of PCBs within the New York City school system. In addition, the agreement calls for

the development of a citizens’ participation plan to ensure that school administrators,

parents, teachers, students, and members of the public are kept fully informed

throughout the process.

PCBs are man-made chemicals that persist in the environment and were widely

used in construction materials and electrical products prior to 1978. PCBs can

affect the immune, reproductive, nervous and endocrine systems and are

potentially cancer-causing if they build up in the body over long periods of

time. The greatest risks from PCBs involve sustained long-term exposure to high

levels of PCBs.

EPA is currently conducting research to better understand the relationship

between PCBs in caulk and PCB concentrations in caulk, air and dust. The Agency

is doing research to determine the sources and levels of PCBs in buildings in

the U.S. and to evaluate different strategies to reduce exposures.

The agreement and more information can be found at http://www.epa.gov/region2. To learn more about PCBs in caulk go to

http://www.epa.gov/pcbsincaulk.

Anyone seeking technical guidance should contact the EPA at: 1-.

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/eparegion2

and visit our Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/eparegion2.

US EPA Region 2 (New York) Contacts:

Media: Elias , , rodriguez.elias@...

Public: Berry Shore, , shore.berry@...

10-008

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Thank you,

Philip Jalbert

CIAQ Executive Secretary

CIAQ@...

www.epa.gov/iaq/ciaq

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