The Problem of PCBs in Practice

Polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, were a widely used industrial organochlorine chemical from the 1950s that were used for their inert and electrical insulation characteristics, low vapor pressures, and low production costs.  However, due to their widespread use, accumulation and contamination of sediments and the environment from these chemicals were also widespread.  As PCBs have a high persistence, and take many years to break down, dumping of these chemicals in landfills has been a lasting issue since the 1980s.  PCBs are also seen as probably carcinogens, and strongly linked to heart, thyroid, and diabetic problems.  Some industries, such as General Motors, have been charged with PCB dumping in areas and landfills that are in close proximity to American Indian reservations.  This article discusses not only the environmental impact of GM's dumping, but also environmental racism issues attached to such selective dumping.