HOW OVERLY CAUTIOUS RISK ASSESSMENT METHODS OVERSTATE RISK FROM PCBS IN INDOOR AIR

The past use of building materials that contained polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) is prompting public concern and expensive PCB removal projects. Building materials that may contain PCBs include paint, caulk, floor finishes and many other interior and exterior construction components manufactured before 1972. While initial concern about PCBs in buildings has focused on schools, it is likely that PCB-containing materials will also be found in many residential, commercial, and industrial structures. In buildings, the primary route of human exposure is the inhalation of PCBs that volatilize out of building materials. The USEPA has indicated that inhalation of airborne PCBs may pose a significant human exposure pathway in schools. EPA’s approach to PCBs in schools is evolving quickly. Initial estimates of health risk from indoor PCBs were calculated using risk assessment methods an