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PACIFIC TUBE COMPANY FINED $16,000 FOR PCB VIOLATION U.S. EPA kicks-off PCB enforcement actions

Release Date: 10/23/2000
Contact Information: Randy Wittorp, 415-744-1589

SAN FRANCISCO -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced it has fined Pacific Tube Company of City of Commerce, Calif. $16,382.50 for failure to register a PCB transformer with the EPA and for failure to keep records of the PCB transformer's use.

     "PCBs are a highly toxic substance,"  said Enrique Manzanilla, the EPA's regional Cross-Media Division director.  "EPA is particularly concerned when such chemicals are used in environmental justice communities that may already be disproportionately burdened by toxics."

     EPA initiated this case last year after an inspection of Pacific Tube identified the PCB transformer.  The inspection was performed under a grant to the California Department of Toxic Substances Control.  In addition to paying a fine, Pacific Tube properly disposed of the PCB transformer.
   
     PCBs are a man-made substance that was banned for production in the United States in 1978.  The federal Toxic Substances Control Act requires that PCB transformers be registered in order to track the use and proper disposal of such equipment.  Records are required to document the condition of the equipment.

     The EPA has identified PCBs as probable human carcinogens.  PCBs have also been shown to cause a number of serious noncancer health effects in animals, including impacts on the immune system, reproductive system, nervous system, and endocrine system.  

       This is the first of several enforcement actions the EPA will take to encourage owners of PCB transformers to register their equipment.  Visit
https://www.epa.gov/pcb/ for information on PCBs, as well as a list of companies that have registered PCB transformers.  Or go to
https://www.epa.gov/region09/toxic/pcb/ for information on PCB activities in Region 9.

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