About PCBs

The PCB Regulations were enacted to protect the health of Canadians and the environment from the potential effects of PCBs.

PCBs in Canada

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are synthetic compounds with stable chemical properties that were used mainly in electrical components until the 1970s. Their stable chemical properties made them ideally suited for applications that required durability and resistance to heat and light. They were never manufactured in Canada but were widely used in the country. Prohibitions have been in place in Canada on the manufacture, process, import and offer for sale of PCBs since 1977. The PCB Regulations came into force in 2008.The regulations implemented stricter deadlines on equipment already in use and in storage. They also required the destruction of PCBs to accelerate the elimination of them from the Canadian environment.

PCB-related concerns

PCBs are persistent in the environment and bioaccumulate in the living tissue of humans and animals. They are considered potential human carcinogens and are toxic to fish at low levels. If PCBs are burned in uncontrolled conditions, they produce dioxins and furans, which are highly carcinogenic compounds.

Complying with the regulations

Any person engaged in the manufacture, processing, use, sale, offer for sale, storage, destruction, import or export of PCBs or products containing them must comply with the regulations. PCBs can often be found in:

• buildings built before the 1980s
• buildings that have their own electrical equipment or electrical rooms
• electrical equipment that have been in place since before the 1980s
• drinking water treatment plants or food or feed processing plants, child care facilities, preschools, primary schools, secondary schools, hospitals or senior citizens’ care facilities^{Footnote 1}

PCBs in products and equipment

PCBs are known by various trade names, such as Askarel, Inerteen, Pyranol and Aroclor. They are mainly used in the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity. Large quantities can be found in equipment still in use, placed in storage, and in products that were improperly disposed of.

Listed below are descriptions of some of the common types of equipment that may contain PCBs and that can be found in or around older buildings.

Light ballasts

Typically found in fluorescent light fixtures, ballasts manufactured before the 1980s usually contain high concentrations of PCBs. If your building was built before the 1980s and is undergoing renovations, please contact the appropriate knowledgeable sources (such as the manufacturer) to ensure that light ballasts are checked for PCBs before disposal.

Capacitors

Devices that accumulate and store electrical charge and are found both inside and outside buildings. As capacitors have multiple applications, their size, shape and appearance may vary. They may be mounted on panels, in boxes, on walls or on floors, individually or in banks. Most capacitors manufactured between the 1930s and 1980s used Askarel. PCBs should not be present if the capacitor was manufactured after the 1980s and/or if it is clearly labelled non-PCB.

Transformers

Devices that take electricity of one voltage and change it to another voltage. They were used and are still found in many locations. Transformers that use a liquid coolant, or “wet” transformers, may contain PCBs. Dry-type transformers will have air vents for cooling and do not contain PCBs. Transformers can be pad-mounted, in vaults, roof-mounted, etc.

Other equipment and products

PCBs are also found in:

• bushings
• circuit breakers
• electromagnets
• heat transfer equipment
• reclosers, etc.

Equipment containing PCBs is durable, with a service life up to 50 years or longer with retrofitting.

PCBs were also added to products such as paints, caulking, sealants and asphalt; since they do not corrode easily, are fire resistant, and add flexibility to these products when dried.

End-of-use dates

The regulations prescribe end-of-use dates for specific equipment containing PCBs (if they were in use on September 5, 2008), as follows:

End-of-use date: December 31, 2026

• Equipment^{Footnote 2} with a PCB concentration of 50 mg/kg or more but less than 500 mg/kg (not located at prescribed locations)
• Light ballasts and pole-top transformers and their auxiliary pole-top electrical equipment with a PCB concentration of 50 mg/kg or more
• Current transformers, potential transformers, circuit breakers, reclosers and bushings-located at an electrical generation, transmission or distribution facility with a PCB concentration of 500 mg/kg or more

Note the following:

• The continued use of equipment beyond the December 31, 2026 date will be permitted in certain circumstances, subject to Ministerial approval (application requirements are outlined under section 17.1 of the regulations)
• The end-of-use date of December 31, 2026 does not apply to equipment containing PCBs that are covered under the permitted activities outlined in the regulations

Once the equipment is removed from use, it may be subject to the storage, labelling, destruction and reporting requirements of the regulations. See the “PCB storage”, “Labelling PCBs” and “PCB reporting and record keeping” factsheets for more information.

Previous end-of-use date: December 31, 2009 (or December 31, 2014, if granted an extension by the Minister)

• Equipment and liquids containing PCBs that were subject to these deadlines must already be destroyed, according to the timelines under the regulations

Identification of equipment containing PCBs

The identification of equipment containing PCBs (such as transformers, capacitors) is dependent on many identifiers, but the following can help in assessing the likelihood that the equipment contains PCBs:

• Equipment manufacture date – equipment manufactured before the 1980s
• Nameplate information –metal nameplates can normally be found on the sides of equipment and they usually contain manufacturer details, amount and type of liquid, and technical particulars
  • The type of liquid information varies among manufacturers, but if the “Type Number” begins with an “L”, it usually indicates the presence of Askarel. Check with the manufacturer if you are unsure
• Presence of Environment Canada labels stating “Attention PCB” (or something similar)

Responsibilities

Owners of equipment or products containing PCBs are legally responsible for their proper handling and disposal, including all reporting requirements for the use, storage, shipment and destruction of PCBs. Ownership cannot be transferred. 

Disclaimer

The guidance contained in this page should be used for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as legal guidance, since it does not reflect all the requirements of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA) or the PCB Regulations. Thus, should there be any discrepancy between this factsheet and the Act or the regulations, the Act and the regulations will prevail.