2001 Triple Bottom Line Report - BC Hydro

P C B M A N A G E M E N T
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are synthetic chemicals once
commonly used as fluids in some electrical equipment. Canada
banned the import and manufacture of PCBs in 1979 due to
health and environmental concerns. Since then, BC Hydro has
been phasing out and replacing equipment containing PCBs.
We allocated $33 million in fiscal 2000/2001 to cover the cost
of eliminating all our PCBs over the next ten years.
We arranged destruction of 641 tonnes of High Level PCB waste
last year and have eliminated about 80 per cent of our inventory
since destruction facilities became available to BC Hydro in the
early 1990s. BC Hydro manages both classes of PCBs common
to electrical utilities: oil contaminated with traces of PCBs,
known as Low Level PCB, with concentrations typically ranging
from 50 parts per million (ppm) to 500 ppm; and contaminated
soils and equipment such as capacitors and transformers filled
with 40–100 per cent PCB, known as High Level PCB. As part
of our regular upgrading program we continue to replace
in-service equipment containing PCBs, and investigate PCB
contamination in distribution transformers with PCB levels
above government-established limits.
4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
E N V I R O N M E N T A L B O T T O M L I N E | 3 9
500
0
INVENTORY OF HIGH LEVEL PCBs
(STORED AND IN SERVICE) AND
HIGH LEVEL PCBs DESTROYED
TONNES
92/93
93/94
94/95
95/96
96/97
Tonnes Destroyed
Using technology owned by BC Hydro, we also operate a
plant, Surrey Oil Operations in Surrey, B.C., that removes PCB
contaminants from transformers. Output at the plant, which
typically treats about 1.2 million litres of contaminated oils
each year, fell to 150 000 litres last year due to shortages of
key process chemicals, but is forecast to handle up to 2.5 million
litres in fiscal 2001. We are also investigating offering the facility’s
services to outside markets and are considering building a
second plant to manage PCB solids.
97/98
Tonnes Remaining
98/99
99/00
Jan/00
* Note: High level PCB is any material with PCB concentrations
greater than 1% (10,000 ppm)