PCBs
Lighting Fixture Ballasts
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What are PCBs?
• Polychlorinated biphenyls
• Man-made organic chemicals
• Industrial and commercial applications
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Health Effects of PCBs
• Probable human carcinogen
• Cause cancer in animals
• Serious non-cancer effects on the
immune, reproductive, nervous and
endocrine systems
• EPA banned the processing or use of
PCBs in 1979
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PCB-Containing Ballasts
• Buildings constructed
prior to 1979
• Possible leaking of
PCB-containing
lighting ballasts nation
wide
PCB-containing Ballast
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Identification of PCB Ballasts
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6
•
Older ballasts have a transformer to reduce voltage, a small capacitor that may
contain PCBs, and some have a thermal cut-off switch and/or safety fuse.
•
Potting material, a tar-like substance, is used to surround components to
muffle the noise of the ballast. This material may also contain PCBs.
•
If PCBs are present in the capacitor, the amount ranges from
approximately 1oz to 1.5 oz.
•
The ballasts for high intensity discharge (HID) lamps can contain between 3 oz
and 14 oz PCBs.
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EPA National Outreach Efforts
• In December 2010 EPA released national
guidance recommending that schools remove
older PCB-containing lighting ballasts
http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/hazard/tsd/pcbs/pubs/ballasts.htm
• Depending on the number of operating hours,
the typical life expectancy of a magnetic
fluorescent light ballast is between 10 and 15
years.
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Typical Fluorescent Bulbs
Why Upgrade?
Bulb
Size
Year
LPW
CRI
T 12
12/8 inch
1930’s
55-75
60-70
T8
8/8 inch
1980’s
85-95
80-95
T5
5/8 inch
1990’s
95-100
85-95
Lumens Per Watt (LPW) – Measure of ‘brightness’
Color Rendering Index (CRI) – Measure of ‘light quality’
Year – Designates the year each type of bulb was commonly used
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Typical Fluorescent Bulbs
Why Upgrade?
Other Considerations:
• Mercury Content
• Flickering
• Total Harmonic Distortion (THD)
• Heat
• Cost
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Switching from T-12 to T-8 Lighting
Requires a Ballast Upgrade
Magnetic ballasts (or T-12 magnetic ballast) – older technology with
a core of steel plates wrapped in copper windings. Pre-1979 ban
on PCBs, these ballasts incorporated a small capacitor that
contained PCBs.
Electronic ballasts – considerably more energy efficient than
magnetic ballasts. T-8 lamps use electronic ballasts to operate
effectively. These are the ballasts used in new and retrofit
projects.
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Lighting Fixture Warning Signs
• Burned out lights that don’t work after bulbs are changed
• Evidence of oil stains on light fixture housing, floor tiles, furniture, or
carpeting below light fixtures
• Previous incidents of smoke or burning odors requiring servicing of
lights
• Previous incidents where ballasts were removed or taken apart to
replace parts of the fixture
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T- 12 Fixtures with Smoke, Burning Odors or
Dripping Oil
• Evacuate room and isolate: close doors and open windows to ventilate
space prior to re-occupancy
• Fans to exhaust through windows can help
• Prevent recirculation of air
• Turn off power to fixture; remove bulbs
• Inspect fixtures and follow steps for PCB fixture remediation (done by
an environmental consultant/contractor)
• Air sampling and wipe samples of surfaces prior to reoccupancy.
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Types of Ballast Failures
This ballast sparked a fire at a southern
California school in 1999
An old ballast that burst unexpectedly
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Material Leaking From Corner of Ballast
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Tar-like Globules
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Leaked Potting Material
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Oily Stains
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Ballasts Come in Various Sizes
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“Box” Type Fixture
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“Wrap Around” Type Fixture
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“Egg Crate” Type Fixture
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“Honeycomb” Type Fixture
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Ballast Location
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Health and Safety Issues
• Only an experienced contractor or specially trained staff should
work on potential PCB light fixtures
• Follow standard operating procedures for working around
electrical fixtures as required
• Follow all requirements and precautions if there are asbestos
issues.
• Move desks and equipment from underneath the fixture
• Place plastic sheeting under the work area
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Personal Protective Equipment
At minimum wear:
• Eye Protection – Safety glasses
• Skin Protection – Gloves, long-sleeve
shirt, hat
When working with leaking PCB lighting
fixtures, additional protection may be
necessary based on the specific situation.
If unsure how to proceed, you should
contact the Health and Safety manager for
the facility
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Proper Storage and Disposal
•
Disconnect and remove all ballasts and fixtures and contaminated
components, as appropriate, as well as incidental PCB-contaminated
items;
•
A list of DOT approved containers can be found in 49 CFR 173.212 and
173.213.
•
Provide the appropriate containers and packing materials for packaging
and storing the four possible types of waste streams:
– Intact, non-leaking, PCB-containing ballasts;
– Leaking PCB-containing ballasts and cleanup wastes generated by
handling and decontaminating areas where leaking ballasts were
discovered;
– Ballasts that contain no PCBs; and
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– Fluorescent light bulbs.
Proper Storage and Disposal, Cont.
•
Fluorescent light ballasts containing PCBs in their potting material must
be disposed of:
–
–
–
in a TSCA-approved disposal facility, as bulk product waste under § 761.62,
as household waste under § 761.63 (where applicable), or
in accordance with the decontamination provisions of § 761.79.
•
Package and label drums according to federal, state, and local
regulations.
•
Store the drums until a transporter currently licensed for transportation
of PCB waste removes them to the appropriate disposal facility.
•
Ballasts that are totally enclosed and not leaking can currently be
disposed of in a solid waste landfill. However, most landfills will not
accept such waste so most will be disposed of in a TSCA approved
landfill or destroyed using chemical or thermal destruction methods.
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Proper Storage and Disposal, Cont.
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Improper Storage of Old Ballasts
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Proper Methods for Storing Ballasts
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Benefits of PCB Light Fixture
Replacements
• A significant reduction of PCBs in the air
• Expected reduction in energy consumption and
saving utility operating dollars
• Improved lighting
• Job creation
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Comparing Different Light Fixtures and Efficiency
The case for upgrading!
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Energy Conservation Standards
Impact on T-12 Fluorescent Lamps
• As of July 14, 2012 manufacturers and
importers of fluorescent lamps are required to
meet amended efficacy standards.
• This is not a ban or ‘phase-out’ explicitly.
• However; current T-12 bulbs and existing
ballasts are too inefficient to meet the
standards.
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Department of Energy Efficacy Standards
Table 1. Energy Conservation Standards for General Service Fluorescent Lamps
Lamp type
Nominal lamp
wattage
Minimum CRI
Minimum average
lamp efficacy (lm/W)
Effective date
4-foot medium bipin
>35W
< =35W
69
45
75.0
75.0
Nov. 1, 1995
Nov. 1, 1995
8-foot slimline
=35W
< =35W
> 65W
45
69
45
64.0
80.0
80.0
Nov. 1, 1995
May 1, 1994
May 1, 1994
8-foot high output
>100W
< =100W
69
45
80.0
80.0
May 1, 1994
May 1, 1994
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Department of Energy Efficacy Standards
Table 2. Amended Energy Conservation Standards for General Service Fluorescent Lamps
Lamp type
Correlated color temperature
Minimum average lamp efficacy
(lm/W)
4-foot medium bipin
<=4,500K
> 4,500K and <=7,000K
89
88
8-foot slimline
<=4,500K
> 4,500K and <=7,000K
97
93
8-foot high output
<=4,500K
> 4,500K and <=7,000K
92
88
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Department of Energy – Lighting
Upgrades Save Money!
If your building hasn’t updated its lighting in the past five years,
a lighting retrofit could reduce the amount of energy you use for
lighting by 30 to 50 percent, and by 10 to 20 percent of energy
used for cooling.
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K-12 Energy Improvement Case Studies
• School districts across the country have undertaken energy
improvement projects including lighting replacements that have
resulted in real cost and energy savings.
• Case studies can be found on the National Association of
Energy Service Companies’ (NAESCO) web site at:
http://www.naesco.org/resources/casestudies/default.aspx
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EPA Region 7 Contact Information
EPA Region 7 PCB Program Coordinator:
Mike Dandurand
Phone: (913) 551-7504
Email: dandurand.michael@epa.gov
EPA Region 7 Alternate Contact:
Kurt Limesand
Phone: (913) 551-1784
Email: limesand.kurt@epa.gov
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