From EPA's website
Steps to Safe Renovation and Abatement of Buildings That Have PCB-Containing Caulk
Overview
In recent years, EPA has learned that caulk containing potentially harmful polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was used in many buildings, including schools, in the 1950s through the 1970s. In general, schools and buildings built after 1978 do not contain PCBs in caulk. On September 25, 2009, EPA announced new guidance for school administrators and building managers with important information about managing PCBs in caulk and tools to help minimize possible exposure. Through EPA's Regional PCB Coordinators, the Agency will also assist communities in identifying potential problems and, if necessary, developing plans for PCB testing and removal. The Agency has prepared a a Fact Sheet and Questions and Answers on this announcement.
The EPA also announced additional research into this issue. There are several unresolved scientific questions that must be better understood to assess the magnitude of the problem and identify the best long-term solutions. For example, the link between the concentrations of PCBs in caulk and PCBs in the air or dust is not well understood. The Agency is doing research to determine the sources and levels of PCBs in schools and to evaluate different strategies to reduce exposures. The results of this research will be used to provide further guidance to schools and building owners as they develop and implement long-term solutions. Read more about Research on PCBs in Caulk.
EPA has calculated prudent public health levels that maintain PCB exposures below the “reference dose” – the amount of PCB exposure that EPA does not believe will cause harm. Read Public Health Levels for PCBs in Indoor School Air.
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