Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

City of Rexburg

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.

 

22

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND30ND
2019ND20ND
2020ND40ND
2021ND60ND
2022N/A00N/A
2023ND70ND

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
2018-06-29SB18070177001ND
2018-06-29SB18070188001ND
2018-08-01S1813271ND
2019-01-16SB19011393002ND
2019-01-16SB19011393001ND
2020-06-29SB20070003001ND
2020-07-06SB20070490001ND
2020-11-30SB20120066001ND
2020-11-30SB20120071001ND
2021-01-25SB21011645001ND
2021-01-25SB21011641001ND
2021-03-31SB21040230001ND
2021-04-01SB21040627001ND
2021-04-26SB21041931001ND
2021-04-26SB21041974001ND
2023-07-31SMDH000904ND
2023-07-31SMDH000907ND
2023-07-31SMDH000906ND
2023-09-11SMDI035501ND
2023-09-11SMDI035601ND
2023-09-11SMDI035801ND
2023-09-11SMDI035901ND