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PCBs
The following summary is based on information from Environment Canada and Health Canada . Polychlorinated biphenyls, commonly known as PCBs, are synthesized industrial chemicals that were used in electrical equipment, heat exchangers, hydraulic systems, and several other specialized applications up to the late 1970s. PCBs are very persistent both in the environment and in living tissue. Small amounts of PCBs are found in the environment all over the world. There are also traces of PCBs in our food and in our own bodies. PCBs move up the food chain by getting into the body fat of animals and staying there for a long time. Most of what is known about the health risks of PCBs is based on observations of people who were exposed briefly to high levels as a result of accidents or job-related activities. Fortunately, most Canadians are not exposed to high levels of PCBs. For most, exposure to PCBs is limited to the very low levels found in food and the environment. These levels are not likely to cause health problems. The most obvious signs of environmental harm caused by PCBs are in aquatic ecosystems and in species that eat primarily aquatic organisms. Because of concern for the environmental and health effects of PCBs, the Canadian government took action to eliminate PCBs from Canada. The import, manufacture, and sale (for re-use) of PCBs were made illegal in Canada in 1977 and release to the environment of PCBs was made illegal in 1985. |
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