Document Razm7LYeL2qRnbr7OgLOJ6oO8

' 14134 NOTICES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL 614-4] " PCB-CONTAINING WASTES (INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES) Recommended Procedures for Disposal On December 22, 1975, the Adminis trator of the Environmental Protection Agency announced an action plan of regulatory and administrative actions to help ensure that polychlorinated biphen yls currently in service do not enter the environment. One. portion of that .pro gram includes investigation and recom mendation of appropriate disposal pro cedures for industrial users of this fam ily of chemicals or products containing them. The Agency is also evaluating the . consumer waste disposal problem and may issue further guidance on that sub ject at a later time.. ... . . Purpose.--Pursuant to Section 204(b) (1) of the Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended, the Adntinistrator may issue fadvisor^cuidance and recommendations related to the disposal of waste mate rials. These recommended procedures do not have standard-setting or regulatory status., but represent the best lnformation available on preferable disposal op tions for PCB-containing. waste mate rials. The Agency plans to conduct studies to determine other options for treatment and disposal of PCB-eontaining wastes (including incineration of ca pacitors containing PCB liquids) during calendar year 1976. (In addition to Agency activities, the American National Standards Institute is in the process of revising ANSI C107.1-1974, its guidelines for disposal of askarels containing PCBs.) As significant new information becomes available from these and other sources, this Federal Register issuance will be revised. The purpose of this issuance is to provide guidance for the disposal of PCB-containing wastes. This guidance is addressed primarily to industrial users of PCBs, particularly those manufactur ing and/or using capacitors and trans formers containing PCBs, although the recommended procedures are appropri ate to all PCB-containing wastes. General Background. -- Polychlori nated biphenyls (PCBs; are chlorinated aromatic organic compounds which give rise to concern because of their chronic toxicity, their pervasiveness and per sistence in the environment, and their tendency to accumulate in food chains, (including man), resulting from the bio ' accumulation of PCBs in the food chain, cause the present and continuing concern over the disposition of PCBs to the en vironment. PCBs have been used both m closed systems, especially as sealed di electric fluids in transformers and ca pacitors, and consumptive (or "open") applications, where the PCBs are used in and consumed and discarded with a product. In the past, consumptive or `'open'' uses of PCBs have included: Imprcgna- tors of cotton and asbestos for braided insulation of electrical wiring: plasticiz ers in wire and cable coatings; plasticiz ers of vinyl chloride polymer.films: com ponents of high-pressure hydraulic fluids; specialized lubricants and gasket scalers; heat transfer ugents; and ma chine tool cutting oils. Former "open" applications also, include: formulation into some epoxy paints; protective coat ings for wood, metal, and concrete: ad hesives; and in carbonless reproducing paper. Today domestically produced PCBs are supplied only to "closed" applications in the electrical power distribution industry. PCBs used as dielectric fluids in trans formers and capacitors are referred to generally as askarels. Capacitor applications include power factor correction of both high and low voltage power, ballasting in fluorescent lamps, and motors in air conditioners and industrial applications. Transformer use of PCBs is primarily in those areas where the non-flammability is the major consideration (largely those applications in proximity to humans). These include transportation applications (electric trains, rapid transit systems) and power supply transformers in commercial and public buildings. . Tiie sole producer of PCBs in the United States is the Monsanto, Company, under the trade name of Aroclor. Some domestic manufacturers either modify Aroclor or have Monsanto prepare spe cial formulations for them. These have been marketed and used by manufac turers in their products under various trade names. Additional quantities of PCBs are imported, both as a raw ma terial and as a substance incorporated into manufactured parts or products. Appendix A provides a listing of the trade names used by domestic and for eign manufacturers on their products containing PCBs. Cumulative sales in the U.S. since the introduction of PCBs in 1929 are esti mated to be 1.5 billion pounds. An esti mated 750 million pounds of the PCBs produced are still in service. It is esti mated that less than half the PCBs ever produced have entered the environment; of this amount, only about 10 percent (50 million pounds) are estimated to have degraded or been incinerated: 300 million pounds are estimated to be in landfills at this time. Tnis distribution of PCBs is illustrated on Figure I. The recommen dations of tliis publication are directed only at the PCBs presently in service (or which will enter service as a result of future production). In 1970 Monsanto voluntarily re stricted domestic sales of PCBs to use in transformers and capacitors (dosed sys tems) . As a result, current domestic pro duction of PCBs is down about- 50 per cent from the peak years before 1970, but still amounts to about 40 million pounds per year (1974). Imports, of PCB liquids currently amount to about 0.4 million pounds per year. - . mm I ; PCB HISTORY IN THE U.S. Most capacitors (using PCBs)' pro duced in the past two years use Aroclor 1016, while transformer applications continue to use Aroclor 1242 and 1254. Technical Background.--Polychlori nated biphenyls are a class of synthetic compounds which have no known coun terpart in the natural environment. PCBs are manufactured by the chlori nation of biphenyl with anhydrous chlo rine using iron filings or ferric chloride as a catalyst. The most important physi cal properties of PCBs are low vapor pressures, low water solubility, and high dielectric constants. They are miscible with most organic solvents. 1 The chemical properties that make PCBs desirable Industrial materials are their excellent thermal stability, their strong resistance to both acidic and basic hydrolysis, and their general inertness. They are quite resistant to oxidation. Unfortunately, some of the characteris tics (stability, nondegradability) which make PCBs so valuable in industrial ap plications also make them highly per sistent in the emironment. . Theoretically 210 PCB compounds can be prepared, but less than 100 homologs and isomers are-likely to occur in com- merical products. PCB compounds con tain from 12 to 63 percent chlorine. The typical commercial product is a mixture of several homologs. Monsanto, the sole U.S. producer of PCBs, has adopted a four-digit designa tion for its Aroclors. The first two digits indicate the type cf material: biphenyl, triphenyl, ov mixture of the two. The last two digits represent the approximate chlorine content by percentage weight. (Aroclor 1016, with approximately 41 percent chlorine, is an exception to this nomenclature system.) Biphenyls with higher chlorine content are non-flamma ble and have extremely 'ow volatilities. The chemical stability, low volatility, high dielectric constant, and compatibil ity with other chlorinated hydrocarbons have resulted in mv-uy and varied indus trial applications ior the PCBs. The ready solubility of PCBs lii'non polar solvents explains why they are easily absorbed into fatty tissue and Into the liver. Fatty tissue acts as a non polar solvent, and PCBs are retained, rather than excreted. Their resistance to fEDERAl REGISTER, VOt, 41, NO, 64--THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 1976 PCB-ARCH-EXT0376829 NOTICES 14135 oxidation or other types of chemical deg PCBs can be leached from solid manu PCBs and pollute the atmosphere. In radation explains their persistence and facturing wastes with a suitable solvent, addition, Instrumentation and handling accumulation in animal tissue. e.g., trichloroethylene or acetone. The equipment are usually not sufficient for The chemical inertness and resistance decontaminated waste can then be dis managing hazardous materials. There to metabolism of PCBs account for their posed. The solution containing PCBs may fore, PCB-containing waste should not be low acute toxicity. Chronic toxic effects be separated by distillation into PCB. sent to such municipal incinerators for vary in different animal species; they in which may be reclaimed, and the solvent, disposal. . . clude skin, liver, and kidney lesions in which may be used1 again. The distilla The above recommendations are suit rabbits as well as chloracne and hepato- tion technique is nlso applicable to re able for liquids. Incineration of solid toxic effects in man. move PCBs from contaminated liquids. wastes containing PCBs has not been The low solubility of PCBs in water This technique (of leaching and recla demonstrated. However, such destruction probably limits the rate at which they mation) is especially useful after ncct- does appear feasible. For example, a are dispersed by water systems. PCBs dential spills of liquid PCBs. Spills could rotary kiln furnace, with an afterburner discharged into a river or lake will ac be absorbed on dry sand, ash, sawdust, and' scrubbing system, could probably cumulate in the sediment in relatively or commercial absorbents and then 'safely incinerate solid wastes containing high concentrations. Plants and animals processed as above. PCBs. Likewise, other smaller, high can concentrate PCBs above their level As noted on Figure I, there are ap temperature incinerators with sufficient in water alone. Some fish species taken proximately 750 million pounds of PCBs, residence times may be satisfactory for from Lake Michigan in 1970 and 1971 incorporated into products, currently in the smaller waste generator.. have exhibited PCB concentrations greater than 5 ppm. Shrimp and oysters exposed to 10 ppb of Aroclor 1254 have shown bioaccumulations from 130- to service. These products will utllmatcly As a service, Monsanto will incinerate -- require disposal. If a capacitor or trans-p (for a fee) any returned liquids in their former has a label identifying one of the' high temperature incinerator. A tech trade names shown in Appendix A. it nical description of the Monsanto In 3300-fold: bioaccumulations in some species of 40,000 to 75,000 have been experienced. PCBs are not intended to get into the environment, but they do because their unique chemical properties prevent them from being destroyed by usual waste treatment methods. Thus, they inadvert ently escape and become widely dispersed. knvironmentai transport models for PCBs have not been developed. Con clusions regarding their behavior, par ticularly their distribution and transport in the environment, are based largely upon the results of DDT research. Recent data indicates that aerial transport may play a major role in the worldwide dis semination of PCBs, although dumping 'and river runoff may contribute more im portantly to local contamination of fish, wildlife, and drinking water sources. Degradation characteristics of PCBs are not well understood. Some dibenzofu- rans, which are extremely toxic, may be degradation products ot dcbs. should be handled as a PCB, and the options listed below followed. If the con tents are unknown, but the manufac turer is one of those listed in Appendix A, an inquiry should elicit information on the contents of the equipment or product Effective safeguards should be em ployed in the handling and transport of the PCB-containing wastes. These in clude the use of protective clothing, closed containers for transportation, and adequate labeling to alert personnel to hazards from routine disposal as well as emergency response in the event of a spill or accident. . Anyone responsible for the disposal of PCBs should select high-quality firms for the transport and disposal of their PCB-containing wastes. Also, spot- check to assure transported, and disposed is recommended. The generator of the waste should take responsibility for proper waste management. cinerator Is provided in Appendix B. EPA publication, Hazardous Waste Management Facilities (EPA/530/SW- 146),2 *p*rovides information bn some In cineration facilities. Use of these facili ties for incineration of PCB-cOntalnlng waste should be checked with EPA Regional and State representatives to assure that the facilities have adequate environmental controls to meet Federal/ State/local regulations. Land Disposal--Wastes containing PCBs should not be disposed of with other mixed wastes in a sanitary landfill (See EPA Guidelines on Thermal Proc essing and Land Disposal of Solid Waste, Federal Register, August 14, 1974). Characteristics of transport of PCBs through the soil are not definitively es tablished. The interaction with other decomposing wastes is not well under stood. Some landfills may contain or accept wastes which could cause the re lease of PCBs. The ubiquity and per . Disposal of PCB-Containing Wastes.-- Recommended options for the disposal sistence of PCBs indicate that their dis The persistence of PCBs necessitates ex of PCB-containing wastes (in priority posal should be carefully controlled until tremely careful attention to final dis order) are: additional data aie developed. While position of PCBs and PCB-containing * Incineration . these data are being gathered, PCBs materials. First, the use of PCBs should Controlled land disposal (when disposed to the land) should only be reduced. Manufacturers or users should use more environmentally accep table substitute materials whenever pos sible. However, spills, damaged goods, and housekeeping materials will require disposal. All absorbents and other clean up materials should be carefully selected with disposal implications in mind. Reclamation of PCBs is usually feasi ble only with relatively uncontaminated liquids and should be carried out only if there is virtually no chance of PCB losses to the environment. Recycling is advisa ble only as long a adequate substitutes for PCBs are not available. Monsanto maintains a toll-free telephone number (800/325-3850) for the public for advice on scrap PCBs. If liquids cannot be re Incineration--The proper incinera tion of waste PCB must involve a. suita ble balance among temperature in the incinerator, dwell time in the .firing chamber, and oxygen availability. Also, a suitable scrubber should be provided on the exhaust stack to remove the hydro chloric acid mist that is formed. Exhaust gases should be monitored to assure com pliance with air regulations. Recommended requirements are: (1) 2-second dwell time at 1100 C (2000 F) and 3 percent excess oxygen in the stack; or (1) 1 ',> second dwell time at 1500 C (2700 F) and 2 percent excess oxygen in the stack gas.1 Open hearth and other incinerators used for municipal refuse in be placed in a secure chemical waste landfill. In general terms, a chemical waste landfill provides complete long-term pro tection for the quality of surface and sub surface waters from hazardous waste de posited therein, and against hazards to public health and the environment. Such sites should be located or engineered to avoid direct hydraulic continuity with surface and subsurface waters. Gen erated leachates should be contained, and subsurface flow into the disposal area eliminated. Monitoring wells should be established, and a ' sampling and analysis program conducted. Additional characteristics of a chemical waste land fill are described in EPA publication, used, these liquids should be disposed of cineration are not normally suitable; the Landfill Disposal of Hazardous Wastes: by high temperature incineration. relatively low operating temperature of Recycling of transformer fluids is ac such equipment would only volatilize the complished by several companies. The A Review of Literature and Known Ap proaches (EPA/530/SW-165) ,5 tank and inside copper of the trans former is reclaimed: the PCB liquids, if they cannot be reused, should be incinerated. 1 These values are from ANSI C107.1-1974. Guidelines for Hand ling and Disposal at Capacitor and Transiormtr-Clratle Asknrels Containing Polychlorinated Diphenyls. American National Standards Institute. - Documents referenced here may be ob tained from Solid Waste Information, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Cincin nati, Ohio 45268. FEDERAL REGISTER, VOL. 41, NO. 64--THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 1976 PCB-ARCH-EXT0376830 ' ""**\***HtQ 14136 , . . NOTICES Encapsulation of wastes in cement house liquid wastes and contaminated 2. Carnes, R,, Doerger, J.. Spearka, H. L. prior to bureau In a sanitary landfill has been used for small quantities of solids or sludges. This is usually done by casting the waste in concrete inside a drum prior to deposition In the landfill. PCBs from customers. . Waste Characteristics.--The large majority of the wastes burned are PCB derivatives. The sources of these wastes are process still bottoms and contami- Polychlorinated biphenyls In solid waste and solid-waste-related materials. Cincinnati. 1973. - ' 3. American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Guidelines for handling and disposal of capacltor-and transformer-grade ankarcls Only those specific sites which have nated transformer oils. The heating containing polychlorinated biphenyls. Now been State-approved for PCB wastes value of the materials Is about 9000 York, January 1974. should be used. The EPA publication, Hazardous Waste Management Facili- ties, (EPA/530/SW-146 - provides some Information to potential disposers; these data when used in consultation with BTU/lb. Other in-house high BTU liquid wastes are also incinerated. Fhos- phorous compounds cannot be burned due to the formation of particulates <PA) which foul the Injection system. 4. Peaksall, D. B. PCB's and their environ mental elTects. Critical Reviews in Environ mental Control. CRC, 1975. 5. Broadhurst, M. Use and replaceablllty of polychlorinated biphenyls. Environmental Health Perspectives. Oct. 1972. Staite solid waste management officials The system is not equipped to handle 6. Vcrsar, Inc. Assessment of wastewater can assist in a disposal action. suspended solids. Four 20,000 gallon management, treatment technology, and as Dated: March 26, 1976. . Roger Strelow, . Assistant Administrator for Air and Waste Management. Appendix A tanks are available for storage. The wastes are typically stored for several days before incineration to allow undlssolved solids to settle. After the settling period, the wastes are pumped directly from the tanks to the liquid combustor. Incinerator Description.--The in sociated costs for abatement of PCBs concen trations In Industrial effluents. Jon. 1B76. 1 Draft report). 7. Bremer, K. State of concerns of the Lake Michigan Toxic Substances Committee re lated to PCB. Chicago. Internal EPA Report. 8. Aroclor. Polychlorinated polypheyls (bi phenyls). Technical Bulletin O-FF/IR, St, LISTING OF NAUES USED FOR FCBS BY cinerator is a liquid injection type Louis: Monsanto Industrial Chemicals Com l ' MANUFACTURERS housed in a horizontal cylinder 20 ft. pany. Nov. 1971. ' Name: Manufacturer Aroclor _________ Asbestol ________ Askarel_________ -- (') Chlorextol _____ Dlacldr_________ Dyksnol______ _ Elemex___ ______ Hyvol_____ ______ Inerteen______ ___ No-Flamol __1 ___ Pyranol_________ Westlnghouse Electric. Wagner Electric. Saf-T-Kuhl____ Clopheii________ __ DK ......................... Fenclor___ ______ -Kennechlor____ Phenoclor _____ -Pyralene _____ ___ Santotherm____ Bayer (Germany). Caffaro (Haly). Mitsubishi (Japan). Prodelec (France). Prodelec (France). Mitsubishi (Japan). 1 Generic name used for Insulating liquids In capacitors and transformers; may contain PCBs. B-- Appendix Description of Monsanto Incineration Facility SAUGET, ILLINOIS long and 9.5 ft. in diameter. High pres sure steam is used to atomize the waste liquid and inject it into the liquid com bustor. The feed rate measures 2 gal/ min. An additional gun which burns nat ural gas is also positioned inside the plenum. The natural gas serves as an auxiliary fuel to supplement the heating value of the waste if necessary. The operating temperature varies from 2000 to 2200 F. If the temperature is too high, water can be sprayed into the chamber to act as a heat sink. The cylinder is protected from the heat by a lining of re fractory brick. High alumina brick is used in the plenum chamber. A blower supplies 25% excess air forcing the fumes from the plenum and through an oxi dizer. The residence time inside the oxidizer is 2-3 seconds. The unit is operated 24 hours/day re quiring 2 men/shift. Initial capital costs were $740,000. The disposal cost has averaged 10<71b. Air Pollution Control.--The fumes exit the oxidizer and enter a water quench 9. PCB's--environmental Impact. Environ mental Research..1972. 10. PCB's their use and control. Organiza tion for Economic Cooperation and Develop ment. Paris. 1974. 11. Sewage, sludge Incineration, Section IV. Effect of incineration on metals, pesticides, and polychlorinated biphenyls. EPA Task Force: March 1972. ' . 12. PCB Conference. National Swedish En vironment Protection Board; 1970. pg. 83-88. 13. Hazardous waste management faculties in the United States. Leshendok. T. Environ mental Protection Agency SW-146, revised, 1976. 14. Scurlock, A. et al. Incineration In haz ardous waste management. Environmental Protection Publication SW-141, 1974. 15. Lindsey, A. and Fields, T, Landfill dis posal of hazardous wastes: review of Utera- ture and known approaches. Environmental Protection Publication SW-165, 1975. 16. Farb, D. and Ward. S. D. Information about hazardous waste management facu lties. Environmental Protection Publication SW-145, 1975. 17. Tucker, E,, et al. Migration of PCB's In soli Induced by percolating water. Monsanto Co. Bulletin of Environmental Contamlna- tton and Toxicology. Vol. 13. 1975. Background.--The Krummrich Plant is one of Monsanto's large chemical, manufacturing plants. The product line column. The main purpose of the quench is to reduce the temperature of the hot fumes. Particulates are removed next in a high energy venturi scrubber. Finally, includes sulfuric acid, benzene, chlorine, the emissions are cleaned in a packed polychlorinated biphenyls, several rub bed (polypropylene packing) at the base ber compounds, and various chemical . of the stack. The 40 ft. stack is equipped intermediates. The plant is located im with a demister. 18. ASTM. Standard method of test for rapid gas chromatographic estimation of higher boiling homologues of chlorinated bi phenyls for capacitor askarels. Specification D 3303 (1973). 19. ASTM. Analysis of environmental mate rials for polychlorinated biphenyls. Speclflcation D 3304 (1974). . 20. HEW. Registry of toxic effects of chem mediately south of East St. Louis, 111. Bibliography ical substances. 1975 Edition NIOSH June near the Mississippi River. Since June 1971, Monstanto has operated a liquid injection incinerator to dispose of in- 1, Polychlorinated biphenyls and the en vironment, Interdepartmental Task Force on PCB's. Depts. of Agriculture, Interior, HEW, Commerce and EPA, May 1972. 1975. 21. Mitre Corp. Environmental cycling of PCB's. 1975 (unpublished draft report). |FR Doc.76-9420 Filed 3-31-76:8:45 ami i i 1 J FEDERAL REGISTER, VOL. 41, NO. 64---THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 1976 PCB-ARCH-EXT0376831