Fluorescent Ballasts and PCBs

[pdemapan]

Problem: We have to remove ballasts from a housing development that are about 30 years old and we want to know if they contain PCB's.

1.) Is there a way to identify if a fluorescent ballast has PCB's? Apparently if they are over 30 years old they contain PCB's.

2.) Is it required by manufacturer's to put the date of manufacture on fluorescent lamp ballasts?

I would really appreciate anyone's help on these questions. Thanks

 

[ronnie-matic]

my old boss pointed out a brownish oil goo type substance leaking out of the ballist and said thats pcb's if you see it you should or must change the fixture, and do not get it on your hands.

 

[iwire]

Does My Fluorescent Light Ballast Contain PCBs?

Before EPA banned the manufacture of PCBs in 1978, PCBs were commonly incorporated in the manufacture of fluorescent light ballasts. The use of PCBs in ballasts manufactured prior to 1978 is not regulated by EPA. All light ballasts manufactured since 1978 which do not contain PCBs should be marked by the manufacturer with the statement, ANo PCBs.@ For those manufactured prior to that time, or for those ballasts which contain no statement regarding PCB content, you should assume that they do contain PCBs.

If the ballast does contain PCBs, they are located inside the small capacitor. There would be approximately 1 to 1? ounces of PCBs in the capacitor itself. If the ballast fails, the capacitor may break open, allowing the PCBs to contaminate the surrounding tar-like material and drip out of the fixture. The capacitor does not always leak when the ballast fails, but when it does, measurers should be taken to limit or avoid personal exposure.

More here..

http://yosemite.epa.gov

 

[hockeyoligist2]

I clicked on your link http://yosemite.epa.gov and couldn't find the info. we have a lot of older ballasts and I would like to find the info. Where do I go from there?

 

[iwire]

I clicked on your link http://yosemite.epa.gov and couldn't find the info. we have a lot of older ballasts and I would like to find the info. Where do I go from there?

I had tried to post a direct link but it would not work, I assumed a simple search from the main page would have worked....it did not.

Here is another EPA page with info.

http://www.epa.gov/reg3wcmd/pcbs.htm

 

[hockeyoligist2]

Thanks iwire the link you sent http://yosemite.epa.gov/R10/OWCM.NS...65000062d635/d053fb2a8fcba715882569ed00782e8a took me right to it

 

[jbfan74]

The Safty/EPA guy where I work said if it is not printed on the ballast"contains no PCB" Then treat it like it does. That means it goes into the haz room waiting for the truck!

 

[muskiedog]

I dealt with the same situation. I ended up with a 55 gallon drum of ballasts. The above is correct that today they will be labeled. Anything thirty years old most likely will be PCB. Another option is to contact the manufacture and verify with them or you can contact your Hazardous Waste Disposer and have them tested. It may pay since disposal as hazardous waste can be costly depending on how many you are going to have.