Re: pcb-containing transformer oil

["Jon Campbell" <jon@cqs.com>]

Peter,

      If this is done in the US, it would be very, very illegal, but it
would not surprise me. PCB contaminated oil and all contaminated
transformers are supposed to be inventoried and submitted to EPA for
tracking the material. However there are giant holes in this safety net, and
many thousands of transformers still in use that have PCB oil in them that
have not been inventoried. "Inert ingredients" and dispersion oils in
pesticides are not regulated, so some companies could use it as an
opportunity to cheat on the Toxic Substances Control Act.

       However, I have not seen any specific stories of this use of
transformer oil. Since there is an international treaty to prevent further
worldwide contamination by PCBs, any information anyone has should be
exposed publicly.

        There have been some large-scale dumping cases of PCB oil in the US,
but those were done at least 10 years ago (to my knowledge): GE in
Pitttsfield, MA and Corning, NY, Westinghouse in Indiana, and Monsanto in
Missouri via their dumping agent Russell Bliss.

Regards
Jon Campbell
----- Original Message -----
From: Peter Vanhoutte <peter.vanhoutte@ping.be>
To: Multiple recipients of list DIOXIN-L <dioxin-l@essential.org>
Sent: Sunday, September 12, 1999 4:45 PM
Subject: pcb-containing transformer oil


> I'm a Belgian MP and member of the dioxin commission who is trying to find
> the causes of the dioxincrisis in our country. Someone told me that used
> transformer oil - with PCB-residues - is in some countries added to
> pesticides (e.g. used on oranges) as dipersion agent. Is there anybody who
> knows about it or can confirm this story?
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Peter Vanhoutte
> MP
> Nieuwstraat 101
> B-3600 Genk
> Belgium
> phone: +32 89 303191
> fax: +32 89 303198
> e-mail: peter.vanhoutte@dekamer.be
>