ABSTRACT
The issue of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) exposures resulting from occu-
pancy of PCB-contaminated buildings is not new, but the contribution of building
materials to that contamination is largely unrecognized. A rapidly emerging
base of evidence shows that PCBs can be widely found in caulking and paint in
masonry buildings constructed or renovated from about 1950 to the late 1970s.
These materials can cause extensive PCB contamination of the building interiors
and surrounding soil, and people who teach, live, or attend school in these
buildings can have elevated serum PCB levels. The potential risk associated with
this source of PCB exposure is not known; however, it is worth noting that the
specific PCB congeners found at high levels in the building environments, and in
biological samples from the occupants, include some that are suspected of being
potent neurotoxins. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is moving
to address this issue in schools; however, the costs of remediating contaminated
buildings will pose a formidable obstacle to most school districts.
