Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are organic compounds that used to be produced worldwide but are now banned under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), a global treaty aiming to eliminate or restrict the production, use and trade of chemicals that are recognized as persistent, bio-accumulative and harmful to human and environmental health.
Before they were banned, PCBs had been widely used owing to a set of properties prized by industry, notably non-flammability and resistance to degradation under elevated temperatures. These chemicals had been used as heat exchange fluids in electrical transformers and capacitors, and as additives in paints, sealants and carbon paper. Their allure faded when science eventually established their harmful nature. They were listed as POPs under the Stockholm Convention in 2001.
PCBs can enter the environment in many ways, including improper disposal, leaks or spills from electrical equipment. In addition to harming wildlife and ecosystems, exposure to these pollutants is linked to a grim collection of ailments in humans. The UNEP-GEF MedProgramme is currently supporting to nine Mediterranean countries (Algeria, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Lebanon, Montenegro, Morocco, Tunisia and Türkiye) in a regional endeavor to address the PCBs toxic legacy and its impacts...
