Are Students and Teachers in Danger if There are Leaking PCB-Containing Light Ballasts in Their School?Light ballasts that are leaking PCBs are in violation of the law and should be immediately removed and any spills properly cleaned up. Where they remain in place, leaking ballasts could continue to off gas over several years, generating elevated levels of PCBs in air that students and teachers breathe. PCBs are persistent, bioaccumlative pollutants. This means that they are most harmful when exposure accumulates over a prolonged period of time. Since the risk of harm increases with increased exposure, the best protection is to remove leaking ballasts immediately. Steps should be taken so children and teachers do not continually spend time in an environment with elevated PCB levels in their air. While students and teachers do not need to be evacuated from the building, the affected area, classroom, hallway, cafeteria, or auditorium should be off-limits during cleanup and decontamination. Until the area is declared "clean" for use again, the school would need to find appropriate temporary quarters in the building for students and staff.
