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ARTICLE · 04 OCTOBER 2021

Practical Tips For Managing The Risks Of PCBs In Building Materials

Beveridge & Diamond, P.C.
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Even though PCBs have not been manufactured in the U.S. for over forty years, they continue to be present in building materials, including in caulk and joint materials, paint, siding, roofing, and light ballasts.

United StatesReal Estate and Construction
Rachel K. Roberts
Rachel K. Roberts
David C. Weber
David C. Weber
Loren R. Dunn
Loren R. Dunn
Augustus E. Winkes
Augustus E. Winkes

Even though polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have not been manufactured in the U.S. for over forty years, they continue to be present in building materials, including in caulk and joint materials, paint, siding, roofing, and light ballasts. PCBs are more common in structures built or renovated between 1950 and 1979. The ongoing presence of PCBs can create risks for building owners and material manufacturers. Where appropriate, identification, removal, and proper disposal of building materials containing PCBs may help mitigate these risks.

Litigation Risks

The current wave of litigation on PCBs in building materials is focused on schools. A jury in Washington State recently awarded $185 million to three teachers who claimed that PCBs in fluorescent light ballasts caused them brain damage. These plaintiffs are just the first of about 200 in the case. In 2016, a judge in California ordered the Santa Monica-Malibu school district to remove all PCBs from two

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