Anyone know about PCB's?

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ritelec

ritelec

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Jersey
Kids school room........ By passed a fluorescent with a pigtail but was thinking in replacing the ballast...........

It experienced a melt down.............. the black goo is all over..............

Was wandering if the smell/odor is cancer causing ???

The room smells but smells more after removing the cover.. I'm guessing it's a guess, but would anyone know if the odor can get a person sick??

Also a quick google said the physical properties of pcb is that it is yellowish.. Is the black goo the polychlorinated biphenyls (which I always thought) or is it "tar"?

thank you
 
Any PCBs are likely contained within the capacitors inside the ballast. That goop is a tar-like potting compound that can burn if i gets hot enough with flame and smoke which fortunately that one didn't. I'm no doctor but I doubt there is anything to worry about. If you want to get rid of the stink you're going to have to get rid of the fixture.

-Hal
 
PCB Ballasta

PCB Ballasta

It depends on the ge of the ballast. PCB compounds were removed from ballasts about 30 years ago. It's a pretty safe bet if the fixture has T8 lamps, and/or an electronic ballast, there are no PCB's.

Also, look for the words "No PCB's" somewhere on the ballast.

So, if it is an old fixture, and you can not find the"No PCB's" phrase, assume there are PCB's. The ballast must be disposed of as hazardous waste, AND if any of the liquid has escaped, it must be cleaned up by a licensed person.

I know this is a big pain, but you mentioned you found the ballast in a school.... which means sooner or later someone from the government will get involved. SO, it is better not to touch it, until the school administrators decide what to do.

Here is a link: https://www.epa.gov/pcbs/polychlori...orescent-light-ballasts-flbs-school-buildings
 
Ballasts have a date code stamped on the back. The date I recall which may be wrong is 1972. There is a date after which PCB's were banned and your ballast would be in the clear. Prior to that date would be regulated hazmat disposal (they are safe in a landfill but have the hazmat manifest).

You have to pull the ballast and look at the date code.
 
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