[Hallicrafters] Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB Oils - long)

[Bill]

Some people get a reddening of the skin when handling PCB
oil.  Wear rubber gloves.  Burning PCB oil is a no-no as I
understand, (it's been a while), creates Dioxin.  A very
bad substance.  If I found I had PCB oil in caps, I would
carefully place them/it in a 5 gallon plastic container filled
with an absorbent materials such as cat litter.  Seal the container,
label it and get some advice as to proper disposal.

Since you are the owner and generator of the PCB's, you will be
responsible for proper disposal.  However, I believe small caps
were considered non-regulated because of the very small amount
of PCB's in them.  That is, they could be tossed in
the regular garbage.  Don't quote that but I would check with a
local disposal firm.  A disposal company called "Clean Harbors"
could most likely give you good advice on this.

K2WH

-----Original Message-----
From: hallicrafters-admin at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:hallicrafters-admin at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of Roy Morgan
Sent: Friday, October 17, 2003 21:45 PM
To: hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Hallicrafters] Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB Oils - long)


At 03:07 AM 10/17/03 -0400, "Barry L. Ornitz" <ornitz at tricon.net> wrote:
>Rich Oliver (KC9GQ ?)wrote:
>
> > Several years ago I noticed that a couple of my oil filled
> > HV caps had started to leak.
>
>That engineer should be fired!
>
>Sprague's trademark name for their PCB capacitor filling was
>Chlorinol.

Barry, and others,

I *REALLY* appreciate any more or less hard facts posted on this topic,
particularly Barry's last post giving names of the oils used in capacitors.

Though I have some capacitors at my place that almost certainly contain
PCB's, I am more interested in cleanup methods than in disposal methods.  I
assume that PCB's are dangerous to the environment and would not just fling
old capacitors over the back fence.

  I am interested in guidance on the following points:

1) If I find a capacitor or transformer or choke leaking, is the leakage
dangerous to me if I get the stuff on my hands?

2) Are PCB compounds dangerous only, or especially, if burned?

Roy


- Roy Morgan, K1LKY since 1959 - Keep 'em Glowing!
7130 Panorama Drive, Derwood MD 20855
Home: 301-330-8828 Work: Voice: 301-975-3254,  Fax: 301-948-6213
roy.morgan at nist.gov --

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