Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

City of Chandler

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
2018ND50ND
2019ND30ND
2020ND30ND
2021ND50ND
2022ND30ND
2023ND30ND

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
2018-05-31Q1821776004ND
2018-05-31Q1821776003ND
2018-10-15Q1840931007ND
2018-10-15Q1840931008ND
2018-10-15Q1840931009ND
2019-03-19Q1911348002ND
2019-03-19Q1911348014ND
2019-09-11Q1963871005ND
2020-03-24Q2012436013ND
2020-03-24Q2012436014ND
2020-06-23Q2025085011ND
2021-05-04Q2111316001ND
2021-05-04Q2111316004ND
2021-05-04Q2111316003ND
2021-05-04Q2111316002ND
2021-12-15Q2135508001ND
2022-03-31Q2210090001ND
2022-03-31Q2210090002ND
2022-03-31Q2210090003ND
2023-01-12Q2301951012ND
2023-01-12Q2301951022ND
2023-10-02Q2342088008ND