Customer Service

 Customer Survey

LABConnect™ - Online Results & More

PCBs in Caulk

Category Press Release
Publish Date 2/2/2015
Author Paul Cochrane
Title Could there be Cancer-Causing PCB Containing Caulk in Your Home?
Introduction EMSL Analytical provides information and testing services to identify polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in homes and buildings.

San Diego, CA, February 2nd, 2015

Last year, many people learned that some older caulks used in homes and buildings may contain polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) when the national media reported that supermodel Cindy Crawford had pulled her children from a California high school after tests found elevated levels of PCBs in some of the classrooms.  The PCBs were believed to be coming from old window caulking.

Caulk can be found in virtually every home and building. The flexible material is used to seal gaps and joints to make them watertight and airtight. Unfortunately, PCBs were used as an additive in some caulks in the past due to their water and chemical resistance, durability and elasticity.

PCB containing caulks were used in some homes and buildings primarily between 1950 and 1980. The chemical compounds were also used in other building materials such as paints, mastics, sealants, adhesives, specialty coatings and fluorescent light ballasts. These PCBs can persist in old materials and contaminate surfaces, dust, soils and the indoor air quality (IAQ) of the structure.

“Exposure to PCBs in buildings can occur by directly touching PCB containing caulk and any surrounding materials, hand to mouth contact and breathing in contaminated air or dust,” said Joe Frasca, Senior Vice President of Marketing at EMSL Analytical, Inc., one of the nation’s leading PCB testing laboratories.  “The EPA recommends testing for PCBs in peeling, brittle, cracking or deteriorating caulk in older buildings. Even caulk that appears to be in good condition may be a source of PCBs.”

EMSL provides advanced testing services and all the sample collection supplies necessary to determine if PCBs are present in caulk, other building materials and the indoor environment of residential and commercial buildings.  They have also created a website dedicated to offering information about PCBs in caulk that can be found at www.PCBCaulk.com.

To learn more about PCB testing in caulk, air, dust or other materials, please visit www.EMSL.com, call (800)220-3675 or email info@EMSL.com.


About EMSL Analytical, Inc.

EMSL Analytical is a nationally recognized and locally focused provider of environmental, industrial hygiene, food and materials testing services and products to government agencies, industry professionals and the general public.  The company has an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies.

Atlanta, GA (LAB 07) - NVLAP Lab Code 101048-1Baton Rouge, LA (LAB 25) - NVLAP Lab Code 200375-0Beltsville, MD (LAB 19) - NVLAP Lab Code 200293-0Boston, MA (LAB 13) - NVLAP Lab Code 101147-0Buffalo, NY (LAB 14) - NVLAP Lab Code 200056-0Carle Place, NY (LAB 06) - NVLAP Lab Code 101048-10Charlotte, NC (LAB 41) - NVLAP Lab Code 200841-0Chicago, IL (LAB 26) - NVLAP Lab Code 200399-0Cinnaminson, NJ (LAB List in Description) - NVLAP Lab Code 101048-0Dallas, TX (LAB 11) - NVLAP Lab Code 600111-0Denver, CO (LAB 22) - NVLAP Lab Code 200828-0EMSL Canada - Calgary, AB (LAB 65) - NVLAP Lab Code 500100-0EMSL Canada - Edmonton, AB (LAB 50) - NVLAP Lab Code 600321-0EMSL Canada - Markham, ON (LAB 66) - NVLAP Lab Code 600317-0EMSL Canada - Montreal, QC (LAB 68) - NVLAP Lab Code 201052-0EMSL Canada - Ottawa, ON (LAB 67) - NVLAP Lab Code 201040-0EMSL Canada - Toronto, ON (LAB 55) - NVLAP Lab Code 200877-0EMSL Canada - Vancouver, BC (LAB 69) - NVLAP Lab Code 201068-0Fort Lauderdale, FL (LAB 56) - NVLAP Lab Code 500085-0Houston, TX (LAB 15) - NVLAP Lab Code 102106-0Huntington Beach, CA (LAB 33) - NVLAP Lab Code 101384-0Indianapolis, IN (LAB 16) - NVLAP Lab Code 200188-0Kernersville, NC (LAB 02) - NVLAP Lab Code 102104-0Long Island City, NY (LAB 03) - NVLAP Lab Code 101048-9Meriden, CT (LAB 24) - NVLAP Lab Code 200700-0Miami, FL (LAB 17) - NVLAP Lab Code 200204-0Minneapolis, MN (LAB 35) - NVLAP Lab Code 200019-0Ontario, California (San Bernadino County / Inland Empire) (LAB 71) - NVLAP Lab Code 600239-0Orlando, FL (LAB 34) - NVLAP Lab Code 101151-0Phoenix, AZ (LAB 12) - NVLAP Lab Code 200811-0Piscataway, NJ (LAB 05) - NVLAP Lab Code 101048-2Plymouth Meeting, PA (LAB 18) - NVLAP Lab Code 200699-0Raleigh, NC (LAB 29) - NVLAP Lab Code 200671-0Rochester, NY (LAB 53) - NVLAP Lab Code 600183-0San Diego, CA (LAB 43) - NVLAP Lab Code 200855-0San Leandro, CA (LAB 09) - NVLAP Lab Code 101048-3Santa Clara, CA (LAB 47) - NVLAP Lab Code 600318-0Seattle, WA (LAB 51) - NVLAP Lab Code 200613-0South Pasadena, CA (LAB 32) - NVLAP Lab Code 200232-0South Portland, ME (LAB 62) - NVLAP Lab Code 500094-0St. Louis, MO (LAB 39) - NVLAP Lab Code 200742-0Tampa, FL (LAB 93) - NVLAP Lab Code 600215-0
Sorry, this function is disabled.