Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

Meriden Water Division

PCBs are synthetic chemicals banned in the U.S. since the 1970s because of their toxicity. PCBs contaminate water by leaching from landfills and hazardous waste clean-up sites. PCBs increase the risk of cancer. Read More.

Up until the late 1970s, PCBs were used widely as coolants and lubricants in transformers, capacitors and other electrical equipment. Currently, PCBs are widely detected in the general population. They build up and are stored in fatty tissues and fluids such as breast milk, and can be passed on to fetuses and infants during pregnancy and breast-feeding. In human epidemiological studies, PCBs have been associated with an elevated risk of breast and prostate cancers. Infants and children with higher PCB exposures during development score lower on measures of neurological function, ranging from decreased IQ scores to� reduced hearing sensitivity. PCBs also affect hormones and damage the immune system.

 

44

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND20ND
2019ND140ND
2020N/A00N/A
2021ND70ND
2022ND70ND
2023ND140ND

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 0.09 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.09 ppb for PCBs was defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal, the level of a drinking water contaminant that does not pose a significant health risk. This health guideline protects against cancer.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL): 0.5 ppb

The legal limit for PCBs, established in 1991, was based on analytical detection limits at the time that the standard was set. This limit may not fully protect against the risk of cancer due to PCB exposure.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2018-10-24CB81095ND
2018-10-24CB81094ND
2019-01-16CC30225ND
2019-01-16CC30226ND
2019-01-16CC30223ND
2019-03-06CC63089ND
2019-04-17CC96464ND
2019-04-25CD01541ND
2019-04-25CD01542ND
2019-04-29CD03411ND
2019-05-29CD22755ND
2019-06-19CD38007ND
2019-06-19CD38006ND
2019-07-31CD69100ND
2019-09-25CE17376ND
2019-12-16CE88625ND
2021-06-09CI51083ND
2021-06-09CI51084ND
2021-06-09CI51085ND
2021-06-09CI51086ND
2021-06-23CI60841ND
2021-06-23CI60842ND
2021-08-25CJ13495ND
2022-04-14CL08938ND
2022-04-20CL12757ND
2022-04-20CL12758ND
2022-04-20CL12759ND
2022-04-20CL12763ND
2022-04-20CL12764ND
2022-06-27CL64556ND
2023-01-30CN32215ND
2023-01-30CN32216ND
2023-01-30CN32211ND
2023-01-30CN32210ND
2023-01-30CN32209ND
2023-02-08CN38286ND
2023-04-05CN76398ND
2023-05-24CO13396ND
2023-05-24CO13395ND
2023-05-24CO13394ND
2023-05-31CO16784ND
2023-05-31CO16785ND
2023-07-19CO54216ND
2023-10-04CP16968ND