Conclusions

The conclusions of this study are:

• It is anticipated that the electrical supply industry would be able to supply the additional equipment needed under the regulated phase-out, although some short term delays in supply in certain geographic areas might occur.
  
• It is anticipated that the PCB waste management industry would easily be able to handle the extra work created from 2003-2014 since there is a significant over capacity in that industry presently.
  
• PCB owners will bear the bulk of the cost of the regulated phase-out. The earlier phase-out dates will result in additional costs (best estimate, present value) of $109.3 million for decommissioning, destroying and replacing in-service equipment and destroying in-storage PCBs and $16.95 million for labeling additional equipment, preparing management plans and reporting annually. However PCB owners will benefit by $31.9 million (best estimate, present value) from the earlier phase-out as a result of having to clean up fewer spills and fires involving PCBs. The net result is an incremental cost to PCB owners of $94.4 million (best estimate, present value).
  
• The federal government will experience some additional costs to administer and enforce the amended regulations. This cost is estimated at $0.48 million (best estimate, present value).
  
• Human use of the Canadian environment will benefit from the regulated phase-out because less PCBs will be released to the environment from spills and fires. The benefit arises from an earlier return to safe consumption levels of PCBs in sport and commercial species such as fish and wildfowl. The financial benefit is estimated at $68.0 million (best estimate, present value).
  
• Overall for Canada the quantifiable incremental (additional) cost of implementing the regulated phase-out is $126.7 million (best estimate, present value). The overall quantifiable incremental benefit of implementing the regulated phase is $99.9 million (best estimate, present value). The net incremental cost/benefit to Canada is a cost of $26.8 million (best estimate, present value).
  
• The net cost/benefit attributable to each significant phase-out date is as follows:
  • A net cost of $48.9 million is attributable to the phase-out by 2007/2014 of in-service PCBs, not including those in sensitive locations.
  • A net cost of $3.9 million is attributable to the phase-out by the end of 2006 of in-service PCBs in sensitive locations.
  • A net benefit of $26.0 million is attributable to the phase-out by 2009 of PCBs in storage.

There are a number of additional benefits arising from the earlier phase-out of PCBs, including improvements in human health, that have not been quantified in this study.