PCB Source Assessment for Baltimore County
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a class of human-made compounds widely used from 1929 through 1979 in manufacturing and industrial applications because of their exceptional fire-retardant and insulating properties. Rising concerns about the toxicity, human health effects, and persistent nature of PCBs in the environment led to a federal ban on the sale and production of PCBs in 1979. Even though PCBs have not been manufactured for many years, their unregulated, historic uses have led to “legacy” PCB contamination. In Baltimore County, Maryland, PCB total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) have been established by the state for four waterbodies; however, few [...]