Jul 14 2010
Environmental Health & Engineering, Inc. (EH&E) has been selected by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to undertake a comprehensive analysis of methods for control and management of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in buildings.
"PCB-containing building materials represent a real and significant liability for building owners, real estate developers, municipalities, REITS, financing institutions, and contractors. Effective control of PCBs must take into account complex regulatory issues, risk management and a clear understanding of building dynamics," says John McCarthy, President and co-founder of EH&E, a Needham, Mass.-based environmental services consulting firm. "We're very pleased that the EPA recognized the unique skill set that EH&E possesses and selected us for this important work."
This review will provide in-depth information on both short and long-term PCB removal methods including information on performance, cost, safety, waste management, and secondary contamination. Particular emphasis will be placed on evaluating the pros and cons of each removal method with respect to these parameters. Results can be used to help formulate the safest and most cost-effective strategy for removing PCBs from affected buildings and limiting the exposure of occupants and workers.
EH&E was selected based on their demonstrated expertise in the areas of exposure and risk analysis, engineering, industrial hygiene, and hazardous waste disposal as well as groundbreaking work on several complex PCB-remediation efforts.