Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
Date Published:
11/2000
Description:
This public health statement tells you about polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and the effects of exposure.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identifies the most serious hazardous waste sites in the nation. These sites make up the National Priorities List (NPL) and are the sites targeted for long-term federal cleanup activities. PCBs have been found in at least 500 of the 1,598 current or former NPL sites. However, the total number of NPL sites evaluated for PCBs is not known. As more sites are evaluated, the sites at which PCBs are found may increase. This information is important because exposure to PCBs may harm you and because these sites may be sources of exposure.
When a substance is released from a large area, such as an industrial plant, or from a container, such as a drum or bottle, it enters the environment. This release does not always lead to exposure. You are exposed to a substance only when you come in contact with it. You may be exposed by breathing, eating, or drinking the substance, or by skin contact.
If you are exposed to PCBs, many factors determine whether you’ll be harmed. Thesfactors include the dose (how much), the duration (how long), and how you come in contact with them. You must also consider the other chemicals you’re exposed to and your age, sex, diet, fami traits, lifestyle, and state of health.
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