Federal Regions Initiatives Focused on Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) Management
In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maintains 10 regional offices to implement federal environmental programs effectively. Each regional office collaborates with various agencies, industries, academia, and private groups to address the specific needs of its region.
One of the key responsibilities of each EPA regional office is managing Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), a group of toxic chemicals once widely used in various products. To oversee this, each office has a designated PCB Coordinator.
For example, in EPA Region 6, which covers Texas, the PCB Coordinator is Harry Shah, who can be reached at [email protected] or by phone at (214) 665-6457. In some cases, state-level contacts, such as the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), serve as PCB coordinators.
When it comes to disposing of PCB waste, specific permitted facilities can often be found through EPA regional offices or via EPA's PCB Storage and Disposal Facilities program pages. For instance, Safety-Kleen Systems in Denton, Texas, is a known PCB storage facility with detailed site information and EPA contact provided (again, Harry Shah).
It's worth noting that lists of facilities are often maintained by the EPA regional offices or state environmental departments. Contacting EPA regional PCB coordinators can help locate updated lists for each area.
To find more regional contact information and facility lists, visiting EPA regional office websites is a good starting point. These websites typically provide contact information for various program coordinators, including those handling PCBs. State environmental agency directories, such as NYSDEC's program directory for New York, also offer contacts for regional water engineers and other related program contacts who may coordinate PCB activities.
For comprehensive and updated contact details across all EPA regional offices or lists of PCB waste facilities in specific regions, it's best to visit the respective EPA regional office webpages or contact their general information lines. The EPA regional offices are located around the country, with the headquarters in Washington, DC.
Here's a summary table for a few contacts:
| Region | Contact Name | Role | Phone | Email | |------------------|----------------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------------------| | EPA Region 6 (TX)| Harry Shah | PCB Coordinator | (214) 665-6457 | [email protected] | | NYSDEC Region 2 | Selvin Southwell | Water Engineer | (718) 482-4933 | [email protected]| | NYSDEC Region 3 | Natalie Brown | Water Engineer | (914) 428-2505 | (email not provided) |
If you require detailed lists of specific disposal/storage facilities or regional PCB coordinators for a particular EPA region, specifying the region will allow more targeted information.
- Collaboration between EPA regional offices and science institutions in the industry is crucial for finding environmental solutions to manage hazardous waste, such as Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), and finance their disposal.
- The finance department of each EPA regional office should maintain updated lists of PCB waste facilities in their respective regions, as these lists are essential for ensuring the environmental protection of local areas and industries.