PCBs in Building Demolition

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) can be found in older buildings built prior to a ban in 1979 by the US Environmental Protection Agency.
Typically, older buildings containing PCBs are found within the following:
- Caulking (sealant, plaster)
- Thermal insulation
- Fiberglass insulation
- Adhesives/mastic
- Paint
- Exterior building materials, i.e. caulks and roofing materials
- Rubber gaskets
The Bay Area municipal stormwater permit requires most San Francisco Bay Area municipalities to develop a program to ensure that Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) from building materials (e.g., legacy caulk) do not enter storm drains during building demolition.
Permit requirements addressed by the project include:
- Developing methods to identify applicable structures and materials before demolition
- Developing protocols to ensure that PCBs are not discharged to the storm drain during demolition of these structures
- Establishing the necessary authority for the protocol via municipal ordinance or other mechanism.
Quick Links:
- Draft PCBs Building Assessment Protocol 2017-12-07
- EPA: Learn about Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
- Mercury and PCBs