Recent research indicates that the levels of carcinogenic PCBs in the environment could now be exceeding those from their peak production period in the 1970s, due to their unintentional creation in modern chemical processes.
Julia Robinson reports for Chemistry World.
In short:
- New estimates suggest that the inadvertent formation of PCBs in today's chemical processes might surpass the contamination levels of the 1970s.
- Researchers call for a broader analysis of PCBs, beyond those from commercial mixtures, to better understand their environmental impact.
- The study reveals that the legal production of PCBs in the US could have exceeded historical maximums in 2019, indicating a need for updated regulations and awareness.
Key quote:
"The more we looked through the data, the more we were finding random PCBs popping up that didn’t make sense."
— David Megson, Manchester Metropolitan University
Why this matters:
This research emphasizes the importance of organizing a new approach to managing PCB pollution that minimizes inadvertent PCB production. Read more on PCB cleanup: Most of the world agreed on safe PCB waste disposal. It’s not going great—especially in the US.
