General
Chemical residues in building material that had been installed for years in the past threaten the health of their users. Our company. Senft GmbH, has specialized, inter alia, in the disposal of hazardous substances in buildings such as asbestos, artificial mineral fibres, PCB, PAH etc.
We possess the necessary certification and experience. For any queries, please do not hesitate to call us. We will gladly offer you advice.
PCB and PAH
The term PCB comprises a group of 209 synthetically produced chemicals the full name of which is polychlorinated biphenyls.
The PCBs are chemically classified in the group of aromatic hydrocarbons.
Base material of the PCBs is the biphenyl which can bind up to ten chlorine atoms. Thus up to 209 variants of PCB emerge which we also refer to as PCB congeners.
PCB is produced by chlorinating biphenyl wherein the PCB thickness depends on the degree of chlorination.
PCB was used to insulate condensers and transformers, in hydraulic oil but also in lacquers, resins, plastic materials, printer's inks, adhesives and permanently elastic joint sealants. Even objects which are not contaminated with PCB are able to absorb PCB over time and thus contaminate the ambient air.
In the event that a limit value of air contamination should be measured which is harmful to human health a removal becomes indispensable most of the time.
PCB is a substance which has been applied in many cases and has been a latent hazard for humans up to the present day.
Health problems caused by PCB:
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general weakness
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headaches
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vision disorders
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loss of hair
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weakening of the immune system
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changes in behaviour
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growth retardation in children
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formation of pulmonary edema
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worsening of the liver functions
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chloride acne
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eyelid oedema
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hyperpigmentation of different areas of the skin
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discolouration of fingernails and toenails
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chronic bronchitis
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increased cancer rate
In most cases the symptoms only appear with the chronic absorption of PCBs from the air or from contaminated food.
Disposal of PCB contaminated material
There are diffferent methods of PCB removal. The first method describes the removal of primary sources. These are products to which PCB was added in order to improve their elasticity or flame protection features. Among these are, above all, joint sealants. They often have a very high PCB content varying between 1,000 mg/kg and 300,000 mg/kg. The second method used during a PCB removal consists in spatial separation. The third consists in coating the secondarily contaminated surface. In most cases secondary sources are objects or components which were exposed to PCB pollution for a long time. e. g. carpets, furniture and linoleum floors. These often absorb PCB from the indoor air and give it off to the environment again. This results in lower or higher pollution levels depending on the material.
We also dispose of, e. g.:
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PCB-containing ceiling and wall plates
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PCB-containing joint material and sealants
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PCB-containing paints and plasters
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materials with PCB-containing adhesives
When removing the PCB-contaminated material with a content of >
50 mg/kg this material is subject to the list of wastes laid down in the European Regulations and the LAGA Notices and thus must be disposed of professionally by specialist skilled workers like the Senft staff according to their degree of danger.
Further aromatic hydrocarbons
Besides PCB there are 209 further types of aromatic hydrocarbons.
Among these PCP and PAK are particulary important.
Both are similar to the above described product in numerous ways.
The risks that are associated with these substances are comparable to those of PCB.
Should the above mentioned damage to health have occurred to you or your fellow residents or should you wish to refurbish your flat or your house, the Senft company will be glad to offer you advice.
Accreditation
The requirements related to the removal and disposal of contaminated material can only be met by trained specialists like those employed by Senft GmbH.
The respective works have to be registered with the authorities acc. to BR 128 (BGR 128, Annex 6B –
Building Toxins) and may only be carried out by trained experts.
For getting in touch with us, you can also use our contact form. We will immediately reply to you.