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SUMMARY Background Following dlocuoolono between officers of Amdel and Dr H. Grant lnj'.lt. Chairman of the Packaging, Waste, and Recycling Sub-Comnittee of the Au,t'aK*it Invlronnant Council, a request (72/1675-2, dated 15 January 1974) was tec-1 -vd for Ajedal to prepare a proposal for research into the incidence and metbids disposal of polychlorinated biphenyls and polychlorinated terphenyls (cell"!'' abbreviated as 'PCBs') in Australia. Project Proposal No. 5/0/2374, entitled 'Environmental Behaviour of PCBs', was submitted for approval in February 1974. Approval was received In a lette dated 10 October 1974. Objectives The objectives of the Investigation 'ware: (1) To Identify materials containing polychlorinated biphenyls and polychlorinated terphenyls being imported into Australia. (2) To trace the flow of such substances throughout Australia. (3) To provide an indication of the growth in the Inventory of ouch substances. ' (4) To conduct a literature search on the degradability and dis posability of polychlorinated biphenyls and terphenyls in their many isomeric forms. S'"-`ry of Work Done The literature on PCBs has been surveyed and a review dealing with the following aspects has been prepared: (1) The nature of PCBs. (il) The production and consumption of PCBs -- including details of producing countries, estimates of quantities produced and con sumed, and patterns of consumption. (ill) The use of PCBs -- including commercial usas, replaceabllltv, methods of handling, rauso, incineration, and other methods of disposal. (lv) rase PCBs and the environment -- concentrating on rates and routes of transport of PCBs into the environment and the natural HONS 044109 11 degradability of PCBa. Soma attention la paid to toxico logical aapects of PCBe, methods of analysis and detection ' of PCBa, and measured levels of PCBa In the environment. (v) Control of PCBa - Including steps taken la various councriee to control the dispersal of PCBa into the envlronaent. An Information survey has been carried out through correspondence and personal visits to gather Information on the following aspects of PCBa In Australia: (1) The supply of PCBs in Australia - including details of production. Imports, exports, and the suppliers of PCBa. (11) The use of PCBs la Australia - by manufacturers of electrical equipment, In electrical equipment by electricity authorities, In electrical equipment by other organisations, and In non electrical applications. (ill) The disppsal of PCBs In Australia - Including details of the disposal service provided by Monsanto Australia Limited, and a brief review of the control of PCB waste-disposal in each State. (iv) The detection and measurement of PCBs In Australia - giving details of measured PCB levels In food and environmental samples. Conclusions and recommandatlons regarding the use and disposal of PCBa Australia, thalr present and future potential hasard, and possible measures required to obtain essential Information, or to exercise control, have been prepared. . Conclusions The following are the principal conclusions of this Investigation Into PCBs In Australia: ' (1) The use of PCBs In Australia has almost exclusively been confined to electrical applications. Despite numerous enquiries, no definite evidence was found of PCBs being currently used in Australia in non-flammable hydraulic fluids, or heat-transfer fluids, or as plasticiser in Australian-made materials. MGNS 044110 ill (11) Tha currant rata of conauiptlon of PCBa in Australia la approx imately 300 tonnaa per annun. Of this, approximately half is j used In tha manufacture of saall capacitors. Of tha remainder, approxlnatsly one-third la used In large capacitors and twothirds In transformers. (Ill) The use of PCBa In electrical applications In Australia la likely to decline In the future. Providing the plans of the nsnufacturer are realised, the use of PCBa In the aanufacture of swell capacitors will be eliminated by 1978. Furthermore, there Is a growing reluctance amongst manufacturers and users to continue the use of PCBs In transforders. Many view the drytype (or air-cooled) transfonaer as a likely replacement for PCB-fIliad transformers, but this view la not universally held. The only area where It la not currently thought that use of PCBs will decline la In large (power) capacitors. Work on sub stitutes for PCBa in this application is understood to be proceeding overseas, however. (lv) There la good general awareness of the hazards associated with PCBa amongst manufacturers snd users of electrical equipment and there are an adequate number of standards, guidelines, etc., on their use. Where handling procedures are not adequate, this seems to have been the result of habits developed during many years of experience with PCBs prior to the time when they became widely recognised as environmental contaminants. Crowing unrest In trade unions about handling PCBs Is evidence that former casual attitudes to PCBs may be disappearing. (v) One of the major problems associated with the use of PCBs In Australia Is the disposal of PCB wastes. It Is widely recog nised that Incineration at high temperatures Is the only way to completely destroy PCBs, but no coseKrelal facility for this purpose exists In Australia. Some organisations have sent their PCB wastes to the USA for this purpose, but many others are reluctant to do so and are at present storing their wastes or disposing of them by burial In sealed containers in dumps. Many organisations contacted la this Investigation asked for guidance or Information on PCB-vaats disposal. tvev MONS 094111 (1) A possible threat to the Australian environment is posed by the Indiscriminate disposal of electrical equipment filled with PCBs as It reaches the end of Its useful life. Contributing to , this threat is the fact that much PCB-fllled equipment is in use which does not have a warning attached indicating the hazards to the envlroneent posed by the contained fluid. It is felt that this factor, together with the fact that aoet PCB-fllled electri cal equipment hae a long life, could lead to a situation where such equipment le disposed of by people unaware of the hazards. (vli) Only limited work has been done on the detection and aeasureoent of PCBs in food snd environmental samples In Australia. What evidence there is suggests that detected contamination of food and feed by PCBs may have been the result of the use of PCBs In applications which have now been eliminated. While there is some evidence that PCBs have entered the marine environment in and around industrial centres, it is not possible to say whether significant contamination of the environment has occurred. Many individuals spoken to during the course of this inveetigatlon were of the opinion that PCBs are not significant contaminants of the Australian environment, but evidence in support of this view is limited. However, it le likely that, with decreasing use of PCBs in Australia end the rest of the world, snd with Increasing awareness of the hazards of PCBs, the threat posed by PCBs to the environment will diminish. Hecoamendations fin following recommendations are made on the basis of the findings of this investigation: (1) In regard to the use of PCBs in various applications: (a) The trend towards substitution of air-cooled (dry-type) transformers for PCB-fllled transformers should be encouraged. However, the use of PCBs In transformers should not be prohibited. (b) The use of PCBs in (large) power capacitors should oot be prohibited. However, capacitor manufacturers should be encouraged to keep abreast of latest overseas devel- HONS ObblU ! ._ . v opments In capacitor dlalactrlc rasaarcb with a vlaw to early adoption of a laaa toxic substitute. (c) The efforta of Plessey-Ducon Pty Limited to eliminate Its use of PCBa In snail capacitors should be encouraged and asslstad where possible. . (d) The pernlsslon given to Brown and Bureau Ltd under the Custoas (Prohibited Imports) Regulations to Import a polychlorinated terphenyl plasticiser named Cloresll should be reconsidered. (2) Measures should be taken to ensure that all electrical equip ment containing PCBs that Is manufactured and/or sold In Australia has attached sn approved warning about the environ mental hazards associated with the contained fluid. Khars possible, owners of PCB-fllled electrlcel equipment slready In use should be encouraged to ensure that thalr equipment has such a warning attached. (3) Priority should be given to investigation of the possibility of establishing facilities for the destruction of PCBs In Australia. If necessary this should be done in conjunction with efforts being made to establish disposal facilities for other chlorinated hydrocarbons. (A) Tha possibility of obtaining more comprehensive information about the level of PCBa In the Australian environment should be considered. It Is suggested that this could be carried out in conjunction with work already being done on the detection and measurement of DDT and other pesticides by various Australian Covernment and State Government Departments, and other organisations such as the Universities and CSIRO. Since the measurement of pesticide levels requires the prior removal of PCBs from samples, further work to determine PCB levels may not be prohibitively expensive. (3) tees Measures should be taken to ensure the regular collection of Information relating to the Importation and use of PCBs In Australia. The facilities for doing this are already In existence under the provisions of the Customs (Prohibited HONS 044113 Vi Imports) Regulations. Under these regulations, importers snd users of PCBs ars required to keep records of the quantity of PCBs leported or purchased, the organisations to which PCBs are sold, the quantity of PCBs sold to each organisation, the quantity of PCBs disposed of and the aethod of disposal. This Intonation, together with information supplied to the Depart ment of Police and Customs In support of requests for permission to Import PCBs, could be collected regularly through existing channels snd compiled into a report. It is possible that further information on Individual users of PCBs could be supplied on a regular basis by State Government Public Health inspectors. Finally, Information relating to the quantity of PCBs imported, and the country of origin, should be listed under a separate classification In 'Overseas Trade* statistics compiled and published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. HONS 0**11* MOWSANTO PHHOTR1AL CHPUCALg COMPART, KIBOPI PUNCTIOWAL PRODUCT GROUPS PROCESS AMP PRODUCT TBCHNOLOGT DBPARTXWT P.J.A. Marsh, Brussels J.N. Rifikrt, IniMili S. hirvrwr BtuwvIb Ti Plsoher, Dottikoo, D.B. CX| Brussels H.A. Vodden, Ruataon B.A. Baxter, Ibubpo W.B. Papageorge, St. Louis V.R. Richard) St. Louie S.Q. Tibbetts, St. Uula J.T. Garrett, St. Louie ggatsuBsa 1) Visit tot Mat Padoral Rapt, of Public Baalth (Toxic Produeto), Data: April 17th, 1073 Proaant: jDr. B. Stoll Dr. (Nina) P&ado Dopt. of Public Baalth J.N. Raggart Bniaaola T. Placbor Fbb.Suloaa Dottlkon R.A. Baxtar - Ruabon Objectives To review present position of Swiss authorities on PCBS and Pentacblorophenol. Introduction: Previous contacts with the Swiss authorities (see report by 8. Tarover Peb. 22nd, 1072) barf bean through Dr. Mayer wha had now been replaced be Dr. Stoll Dr. Stoll hod only recently taken up his appointment end did set know the dotailod background to sene of the Swiss decisions relating to pCBs. Niee Piado is the Swiae representative ea the 08CD subcostalttee dealing with unintended ehaslcale in the environaent. They were both concerned with the operation of tbo now Swioo lew which requires that ell chesicela need by the public should be registered end categorised according to their toxicity. MONS 044115 2 Dr Stoll eipltlned that the uae of PCBe In Switsorland he* been completely prohibited sinco Dee* 23rd 1071* They now reelloed thet thlo restriction vu too oevore end e new draft regulation pro posed I* That ohlorlmted biphenyls containing not sore than 2 chlorine tens would be permitted for any application* 2* Kb containing 3 or nor* chlorine atone would continue to be prohibited except for a) in apparatus used for resoarch purposes b) trsnsfomsrs and large capacitors nf tmll capacitors until December ITS ariettas lubricant*^) ? ` this revised regulation was txpsetdllob* approved bp eld pear* Mies Piado agreed that thoss rscnlstisns diffsrsd in sons raspects fron ths OKD proposals* Those later had been agreed by the sub eoonittee sad were sow to bo put to the sain eoanittee. It agreed they then required ratification by the Council of OBCD. At that tine it would becone nandatory for nonbor countries to observe tbs QBCD regulations but if their own rsqulrssenta were sore sever* Otfn this would do accepted*" It seeno likely that the Swloa proposal to ban aaall capacitor* after 1076 wit) therefore otand* The position on tlie dichloro biphenyls is not oo door cut. The PfpJ'~'- Swiss regard then as presenting no environsantal hasard on the advice of Dr* Bosshardt and seen to have accepted their free use on the bee is .of isdaatry ranraaentatlone* OO have sade no distinction so far between different PCBs and it is not clear how the Swias expect to be free to ueo dichloro diphenyls* PCBs will continue to be placed in category 1, the sost toxic category even though it is agreed that their acute oral toxicity sight Iwva suggested s such lower category. The basis of the classi fication was clained to include asseossent of environnental and other Ing ten hasards and bensene was quoted se another conpound that was placed is a higher category than its acute toxicity would suggest* However they regard the classification of Kb as being of little significance because of the ether restrictions which they are ispoeing* They regard their current aeasures se being capable of change in the light of oxporionce and future developments. They expect new products will be produced to roplaco the Kb and apparently the Japanese QBCD delegate that they i-piw*** for all applications. Os the application of the new law generally they are eleerly over* wbelusd ly tbe.pepsr work but will aspect to work through the backlog wy*wg aultablo nedifications as they go along in consultation with industcy* HONS 044116 Pentachlorophonol PwluchlorophMQl In presently placod in category 3 which is in line with the Utgo* Th* Swiss authorities are considering what restrictions to place on the dioxin content but have not pet reachod any decisions. They will be guidod by Dr. Bosshardt'a co--onto end expect to reach ease preliminary conclusions by the end sf 1973. 2) Visit tot Dor Bidgenosslochen Forsctaingsanstalt (Plant Protection laboratory)! VMdenswil Pressedt Pr. Bosshardt Chef do lak. ' . 14. Baxter . . . < -.1 -t :/ . .' ... , . Pr. Bosshardt had recently published an article in the Btrleher Zeituog ealling for a vary low level of tetrechlorodibenaedioxia 0.05 ppo in 2:4:5 T and other chlorophenol derivatives including pentachloropheaol. He is concerned with analyses and setting of levels of pesticide residues end becaae involved la PCBe and now FCP largely through analyses of chlorinated bodies in Swiss chases. Apparently in 1968 PDA pointed out thet Swiss cheese lsported Into the U.S.A* con tained unduly high levole of chlorinated hydrocarbons. Bosshardt eventually tracked this down to the use of Dleldrin as an insecticide applied to cowsheds to prevent attack by wood boring Jnsecto* Through this woifc he becane advisor to the Swiss Federal Dept, of Public Health on possible hacards associated with PCBe and nore latterly dioxins. On his advice (he claiaa) the Solas lnposed their 1971 ban on PCBe. Pron s study of the literature he now feela that the lower chlorinated PCb are biodegradable although ho has done no oxperisontal terk binself. He was interested in Monsanto work confirming the view end recognised the lsportanco of exporisontal demonstration of biodegradsblllty under natural conditions! e.g .pond experinents. On dioxins he fcnd proposed e low level of 0.06 for 10>b in 2:4 :ST on the basis sf high toxicity end llkoljr persistence. He did net regard TCDD in penta as a real problen but was mch nore concerned about hexachlorodibansodiexln. He foals that a level for hexachloro should bo set which tkw into account the relative toxicity and stability. He was not ready to propose s figure at present because of lack of dots on stability and persistence but expects to put forward s figure shortly which nay be oodified later in the light of experience* It oseno likely that this naxipun level will be a few parte per sill ion. Dr. Bosshardt known the Dow group at Morgan which is a few siies away and say well be giving thne support in introducing their low dioxin pentsehlorophenel MONS 0441X7 . Pr. BowlaHt ma not able to gift coaplete dtUile et hia analytical aothods tor dioxins but daaeriM In |Mtral toms that ho oeparatod out a neutral fraction, cleaned up on alunina colum or TLC plat# and than ran Q.L.C. with eonfiruatlou of paak identity Ip ansa apeetroaetvy Moot ot hio work hod boon conoornod with 2i45T and ho ^roed that hio clala to bo oblo to dotoet 0.01 pp* 1CPD In pontaoblorophenol woo optlolotic although 0.08 ppu woo qulto fOMlblO. Bcaetardt la a vary approachable and engaging character who adalto that ho overotatoa hlo eaao in order to achieve scan action, o probably Into a good doal at influaaeo with tha Born authoritieo but no groat international standing. Hio laboratorloa appear well \ equipped and his aaalytlcal work generally Bound. It will be worth while aalntalning ooatact with hia. t I HONS 044118