Document YoyjBaGRGLEpNadDew5RGJ5k

HISTORICAL SUMMARY OP PCB ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE By W. B. Papageorge Polychlorine ted biphenyls have been commercially available for over AO years, and, as many of you are aware, are produced world wide In many or the Industrially developed nations. As with many Industrial chemicals, early studies to determine the toxicity properties of these materials were designed to provide the appropriate information to guide the manufacturers and users in its proper handling, storage and shipping. This understanding of the polychlorinated biphenyls resulted, through the years, in a remarkable record of very few incidences of human exposures re sulting in observsble effects. In each reported instance the existing evidence indicated that improper industrial hygiene prac tices were being followed. During the late 1950`s and 1960'b Increased interest in the pres ence and effects in the environment of chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticides resulted in the development of sophisticated analytical methodologies with capabilities of detecting these substances at extremely low levels of concentration. In the use of gas-liquid chromatography for the determination of DDT and its metabolites. Investigators were puzzled by the pres ence of response peaks which could not be Identified. Generally, these peaks were Ignored, and, in some laboratories, they were considered as possible metabolites of DDT. In late 1966, Drs. Jensen and Widmark, Analytical Chemistry Lab oratories , University of Stockholm, Identified these peaks as poly chlorinated biphenyls and claimed to have found these materials in many foods, human milk. Infant hair, pine needles and in feathers from a mounted eagle in a museum. The results of this study were published in 1967. During 1967 other Investigators, using Jensen's method, established the presence of polychlorinated biphenyls in samples from the environ ment. By late 1967 and early 1968, presence In the environment was fairly well established, but In many instances could not be explained. All of the early reports Indicated that the polychlorina ted biphenyls being Identified represented mixtures of the higher chlo rinated isomers. At this point, Monsanto launched a multi-point program aimed at obtaining more information about polychlorinated biphenyla and their presence and impact on the environment. This program Included the followings 1. Develop analytical methodology 2. Conduct biodegradation studies TRAN 071711 WATER PCB-SD0000019580 2 3. Conduct animal toxicity studies b. Develop alternative materials for PCS applications 5. Develop a program for the recycle or proper disposal of scrap polychlorinated biphenyls 6. Develop a continuing program of informing our cus tomers of significant developments 7. Coopera te fully with Indus trial, governmental and academic laboratories Studies performed throughout the world have resulted in the following findings: 1. The presence of polychlorinated biphenyls in the environment has been confirmed. 2. Some isomers of polychlorinated biphenyls are more resistant to degradation than others. 3. The early claims indicating that PCBs result in widespread thinning of eggshells in wild birds have not been confirmed. k. Massive fish kills attributed to PCBs have not been confirmed. 5. Biological magnification in the food chain does occur. 6. Some species of marine and wildlife are very sen sitive to low levels of PCBs, e.g. brown shrimp, some species of fish, invertebrates, mink. 7. PCBs identified in samples obtained in remote areas represent the higher chlorinated isomers. Samples obtained near a source of the commercial material contain the lower chlorinated isomers. 8. High doses of polychlorina ted biphenyls present in rice bran oil resulted in the presence of toxic effects in over 1,000 Japanese. 9. The effects of chronic long-term, low-level exposure to humans has not been established. 10. High levels found in human food and animal feeds are traceable to known sources. Because of its presence in the environment and indicated effect on some species of wildlife, coupled with the concern regarding TRAN 071712 WATER PCB-SD0000019581 -3the effect on humans of low-level, long-term exposure, Monsanto voluntarily Instituted a worldwide program for terminating the sale of polychlorinated biphenyls to those uses In which control of escape to the environment was Impractical, ) TRAN 071713 1 WATER PCB-SD0000019582 MONSANTO PCB ACTIONS IN CANADA by D. Qoodwillle TRAN 071714 \ WATER PCB-SDOOOO019583 1 MAJOR TRADITIONAL USES OF PCB OPEN SYSTEMS PLASTICIZERS . SOLVENTS FOR CARBONLESS COPY PAPER(2) CLOSED SYSTEMS DIELECTRICS HEAT TRANSFER . INDUSTRIAL HYDRAULIC FLUIDS (1)POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS (2)N0 SALES IN CANADA TRAN 0 7 1 7 1 5 WATER PCB-SDOOOO019584 MONSANTO PCB SALES IN CANADA WATER PCB-SD0000019585 TRAN 0 7 1 7 1 6 MONSANTO PCB ACTIONS PHASE-OUT OF PCB SALES WORLDWIDE IN ALL APPLICATIONS EXCEPT DIELECTRICS CONVERSION OF DIELECTRIC FLUIDS TO MORE BIODEGRADABLE PCB'S WATER PCB-SD0000019586 TRAN 0 7 1 7 1 7 MONSANTO PCB SALES NORTH AMERICA . . DIELECTRIC APPLICATIONS 1969 . 1970 1971 1972 EST CANADA U.S.A, j(tN MILLIONS OF POUNDS) 3.2*1 37,0 4,44 40,5 3.36 ' 28.4 3,30 33,0 SALES IN CANADA X 8 10 10 9 TRAN 0 7 1 7 1 8 WATER PCB-SDOOOO019587 MONSANTO PCB SALES ' NORTH AMERICA ' NON-DIELECTRIC APPLICATIONS 1969 1970 1971 1972 EST CANADA lliS.A. (in millions OF POUNDS) 0*83 30.0 0.96 33.5 0.22 ^ 3.7 -- SALES IN CANADA Z 2.6 2.8 5.0 TRAN 0 7 1 7 1 9 WATER PCB-SDOOOO019588 MONSANTO PCB SALES NORTH AMERICA CONCLUSIONS MONSANTO SALES FOR NON-DIELECTRIC USES IN CANADA ALWAYS WERE UNDER 31 NORTH AMERICA TOTAL MONSANTO SALES DIELECTRIC USES IN CANADA ARE ONLY--101 NORTH AMERICA TOTAL ~ TRAN 0 7 1 7 2 0 WATER PCB-SD0000019589 EFFECT OF PHASE-OUT POLICY . MONSANTO PCB SALES REDUCEDi IN NORTH AMERICA BY 31 TO 34 M POUNDS IN CANADA BY 0.8 TO 1.0 M POUNDS ' WATER PCB-SDOOOO019590 TRAN 0 7 1 7 2 SUMMARY % W. B. Papageorg In summary, our observations, admittedly limited, both from our laboratory data and from report* of other investigators, lead ua to believe with considerable confidence that PCBe do degrade in the environment. The complexity of the oowerclal mixtures has, however, hampered the determination of the varying rates of degradation of all the possible isomers. Monsanto's sales actions have definitely reduced the amount of FCBs that could be introduced into the environment. In those applications in which the use of FCBs is considered essential, namely transformers and capacitors, further actions will assure strict environmental control on KBs. In transformers the elimination of the use of Aroclor 1260, along with proper handling during manufacture, use and repair and proper disposal of waste fluid by high tampersturs inelnaratlon, should result in acceptable control. Por the capacitor application the development of Aroclor 1016, which satisfied ill of the industry's requirements relating to dielectric characteristics and handling properties, as well as having Underwriters Laboratory fire-resistance approval, permits the continued use of FCBs in this important hermeticallysealed application but with a fluid that has a significantly lower content of the slower degrading isomen. ftie use of this material, accompanied by proper handling and disposal of the scrap fluid by high temperature incineration, represents, in our considered opinion, a significant atep forward in our efforts to control the lapset of FCBs on the environment. TRAN 071722 WATER PCB-SD0000019591