Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
are man-made chemicals that were
first synthesized in the 1880s. They
have excellent properties
(fire-resistant, highly stable,
insulating, low volatility) that
define them to be ideal for use in
electrical transformer. Generically
known as Askarel, they were found to
be toxic and their by-products can
be fatal. However the very
properties that make them so
desirable as a medium in electrical
transformer and capacitors make
their disposal very difficult.
Production of PCBs was banned in
North America in 1977 and most of
the approximately 650,00 ton
manufactured has been accounted for.
The manually operated PCB system is
skid-mounted and has a footprint
that is conductive to mounting a
trailer for mobile operation. It is
attractively priced to appeal to the
smaller utility or service company