Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

There are requirements for managing waste contaminated by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

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Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of very stable chlorinated aromatic hydrocarbons.

Before 1980 they were widely used as coolants and lubricants in electrical equipment – for example, transformers, generators and capacitors.

They were also used in:

  • fluorescent light fittings
  • electric motors
  • ceiling fans
  • dishwashers.

PCBs were used in the past because they do not burn easily and are good insulators.

Importing and manufacturing PCBs was banned in Australia in the 1970s.

Today, waste materials and substances still contain PCBs.

PCBs and the law

In Victoria, PCBs are regulated by:

Stockholm Convention

The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants is a global treaty that aims to protect human health and the environment from persistent organic pollutants (POPs).

The convention requires parties to take measures to eliminate or reduce the release of POPs into the environment. This includes PCBs.

Australia ratified the convention on 20 May 2004 and became a party on 18 August 2004.

Our environmental laws

Waste materials and substances contaminated with PCBs are pre-classified as reportable priority waste under Schedule 5 of the Environment Protection Regulations 2021.

Under the Environment Protection Act 2017, there are duties that apply to managing, transporting and depositing reportable priority waste.

To learn more, visit Understand your waste obligations and duties.

The general environmental duty applies to the management of waste contaminated with PCBs. This means you must eliminate or reduce the risk of harm from PCBs.

You should understand the risks from storing and handling waste contaminated with PCBs.

You may have a duty to manage contaminated land if land or groundwater are contaminated by PCBs from waste.

You must get a permission to transport, receive or store PCB waste:

Waste contaminated with PCBs is also subject to an environmentally hazardous substances order. The order sets out additional requirements for managing this waste.

Our role in PCB waste

We regulate waste contaminated with PCBs in Victoria, including:

  • transport
  • storage
  • treatment and disposal.

Impact on your health and the environment

PCBs pose a risk of harm to human health and the environment because they:

  • are toxic
  • persist in the environment and animals
  • build up through the food chain.

The harm to your health depends on the amount and duration of exposure. Long-term exposure is linked to:

  • liver damage
  • skin related issues such as an acne-like rash
  • problems with the immune and nervous systems causing numbness.

Some studies in workers suggest PCB exposure may also cause:

  • nose and lung irritation
  • gastrointestinal discomfort.

PCBs are probable human carcinogens. This means there's strong evidence that PCBs can cause cancer in humans.

PCBs in the environment can build up in fatty tissues of animals. Eating food from contaminated areas and waters can expose you to PCBs. This includes:

  • fish
  • meat
  • dairy.

There are known PCBs in some water ways in Victoria. For example, the lower Yarra and Maribyrnong Rivers. You should limit how much fish you eat from waterways impacted by PCBs. For more information visit Better Health.

To reduce your exposure to PCBs:

  • Avoid or limit how much food you eat from contaminated areas and waterways.
  • Take precautions before disturbing electrical equipment. This is particularly in older buildings developed prior to the PCB ban.
  • Avoid contaminated dust and soil if you live near a site with known PCB contamination. Take particular precautions for children playing outdoors.

Manage PCB waste

The environmentally hazardous substances order on PCBs sets out additional requirements.

You must complete a [Notification – PCBs present] form if material or waste at your premises contains:

  • over 10 kg of PCBs
  • over 50 g of PCBs, at a concentration of more than 50 mg/kg.

You must get our consent before you transport PCBs within Victoria. This includes transport for eventual transport out of Victoria.

You must also get our consent before you sell or supply PCBs. This means we must approve either:

  • your environmental improvement plan (EIP) for PCBs
  • your application for consent to sell or supply PCBs.

Where both the receiver and the consigner have an approved EIP, you do not need to apply for consent. However, waste duties still apply.

Consent to sell or supply PCBs is not a permission. It is a requirement of:

If you are receiving PCBs to destroy or dispose of them, you must issue a [Certificate of Destruction or Disposal of Polychlorinated Biphenyls] to the occupier of the premises consigning the PCBs. You must state on the certificate whether the PCBs were:

  • disposed of
  • destroyed
  • diluted to less than 2 mg/kg to enable energy recovery.

If you are consigning PCBs from your premises, you must:

  • obtain a Certificate of Destruction or Disposal from the receiving facility
  • make sure a copy of the certificate is forwarded to us.

Both parties must maintain records of the certificate and make them available to our officers if requested.

Log into our portal to submit the forms:

  • Notification – PCBs present
  • Consent – to supply or sell PCBs
  • Notification – PCBs disposed or destroyed.

You need to sign up to use the portal. If you need help, call 1300 372 842.

For more information on requirements to manage waste contaminated with PCBs, refer to our guide, Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) management .

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