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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1987
CODE OF PRACTICE ON PCBS AGREED
THE ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE AT ITS MEETING TODAY (WEDNESDAY) CONSIDERED AND AGREED A CODE OF PRACTICE ON THE PROPER HANDLING, TRANSPORT AND DISPOSAL OF POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYL WASTES.
EPCOM MEMBERS WERE ALSO BRIEFED ON VARIOUS DEMONSTRATION OF LIVESTOCK WASTE CONTROL PROJECTS AND A DRAFT CODE OF PRACTICE ON LIVESTOCK WASTE MANAGEMENT, AS WELL AS ON THE PROGRESS BEING MADE ON PREPARING FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF VEHICLE SMOKE CONTROLS.
POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYL (PCBS) HAVE BEEN USED EXTENSIVELY IN THE PAST IN VARIOUS APPLICATIONS, BUT INCREASING CONCERN OVER THE HEALTH HAZARDS THAT THEY POSE AND ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS HAVE RESULTED IN THEIR DIMINISHING USE AND GRADUAL REPLACEMENT. IN SOME COUNTRIES THERE HAS BEEN A COMPLETE BAN. THIS HAS LED TO A NEED TO PROVIDE FOR THE PROPER DISPOSAL OF PCBS.
LOCALLY, PCBS ARE MOSTLY USED IN ELECTRICAL CAPACITORS AND TRANSFORMERS. MOST OF THE ELECTRICAL TRANSFORMERS ARE OWNED BY THE POWER COMPANIES. MAJOR USERS OF PCB ELECTRICAL CAPACITORS INCLUDE PUBLIC UTILITIES IN THE POWER SUPPLY AND TELECOMMUNICATION FIELDS. AS WELL AS IN THE INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL SECTORS, SUCH AS TEXTILES AND SHIPYARDS.
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THE DRAFT CODE OF PRACTICE CONSIDERED BY EPCOM MEMBERS AIMED AT UTILITY COMPANIES AND OTHER OWNERS AND USERS OF EQUIPMENT CONTAINING PCRS. IT ДЕВКА TO ADVISE THEM ON THE SAFE HANDLING, TRANSPORT AND DISPOSAL OF PCB WASTES INCLUDING PCB CONTAMINATED EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS.
THE ADVICE AND GUIDANCE ARE TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALL PERSONNEL WHO MAY COME INTO CONTACT WITH PCBS WITH A VIEW TO PROTECTING THE INDIVIDUAL AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC AND THE ENVIRONMENT FROM THE ADVERSE EFFECTS ASSOCIATED WITH PCBS.
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