Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

Shangri La Subdivision

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.

 

24

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

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

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
2019-06-19Q1937663011ND
2019-06-19Q1937663012ND
2019-06-19Q1937663001ND
2019-07-08Q1942348001ND
2019-08-12Q1954006001ND
2019-11-14Q1976938001ND
2020-02-12Q2005778001ND
2020-06-25Q2025622007ND
2020-09-15Q2036524001ND
2020-12-03Q2048409001ND
2021-03-16Q2106817003ND
2021-06-16Q2115844001ND
2021-08-18Q2122394001ND
2021-12-14Q2135513001ND
2022-03-22AF91423ND
2022-03-22AF91427ND
2022-03-22AF91440ND
2022-06-06Q2215732001ND
2022-09-19Q2227944001ND
2022-11-28Q2235271001ND
2023-02-21Q2307017003ND
2023-05-08Q2317258001ND
2023-09-21Q2340999001ND
2023-12-04Q2351274002ND