Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB): what is contaminated equipment

Any equipment that contains more than 5 litres of fluid containing PCBs (or more than 5 litres of fluid that has a PCB concentration of more than 0.005%) is classed as contaminated equipment.

Contaminated equipment

You must generally assume the following equipment is contaminated if it was manufactured before 1987 and contains more than 5 litres of fluid:

• power factor capacitors
• heat transfer equipment
• pole-mounted transformers
• process heating equipment
• vacuum pumps
• high temperature hydraulic systems
• electrical resistors
• brushings and other high voltage equipment
• fluorescent light ballasts
• hospital diagnostic equipment

You do not have to assume such equipment is contaminated if you’re certain it does not contain PCBs, for example if you have:

• carried out tests on the equipment that showed it does not contain PCBs
• kept the original manufacturers’ manual and it shows the equipment does not contain PCBs

If you’re not sure whether your equipment contains PCBs, you must assume it does.

Combined sets of equipment

You might hold several pieces of equipment that would not be classed as contaminated equipment on their own but, as a combined set, are classed as contaminated equipment.

This would apply, for example, if you have a piece of equipment that contains multiple capacitors which individually contain less than 5 litres of fluid, but collectively contain more than 5 litres of fluid.

If this applies to you, email us for advice at PCB-Registrations@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk.