Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs): registration, de-registration, labelling and disposal

You must follow this guidance if you:

  • own polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), or any substance collectively known as PCBs, such as polychlorinated terphenyls
  • own or operate equipment or material that contains any of these PCBs at a concentration higher than 50 parts per million (0.005%).

1. Exceptions to the PCB ban

Find out the materials that are exempt from the PCB ban.

2. Contaminated equipment

Check what is classed as 'contaminated equipment'.

3. Relevant equipment

Relevant equipment is either:

  • any equipment (including any capacitor or receptacle with residual stocks) containing PCBs
  • equipment that did contain PCBs but has not been decontaminated

Relevant equipment does not include equipment which contains a total volume of PCBs of more than 0.05dm3.

After you take relevant equipment out of use you must decontaminate or dispose of it as explained under the ‘Disposing of PCBs’ section.

4. Registering PCB contaminated equipment

You must register any contaminated equipment that you own with us, including if it:

  • has a legal use (for example transformers with a PCB concentration below 0.05%)
  • does not have a legal use, but you have not disposed of yet (you must tell us how you plan to dispose of it as soon as possible)

You must register equipment by 31 July each year until you stop holding it.

Find out how to register your PCB contaminated equipment.

5. Deregistering PCB contaminated equipment

You can take contaminated equipment off the PCB register at any time.

You should do this if you have:

  • disposed of it
  • removed fluid containing PCBs from it and replaced it with PCB free fluid
  • tested equipment and found that PCB concentration is less than 0.005% weight for weight
  • sold the site the equipment is on
  • moved the equipment to a different part of your site

There’s no charge for deregistering equipment.

Find out how to deregister your PCB contaminated equipment.

6. Labelling and premises signage

You must attach a label to any contaminated equipment stating that it is contaminated with PCBs.

You must also attach a sign to the premises where the equipment is used stating that the premises contains equipment contaminated by PCBs.

You must make sure the labels and signs are clearly visible and cannot be easily removed.

For transformers where the fluid has a PCB content of less than 0.05%, your label and sign can say, ‘PCBs contaminated <0.05%’.

7. Disposing of PCBs

You must dispose of PCBs and materials that contain PCBs as a persistent organic pollutant and hazardous waste.

That means you can either:

  • dispose of the PCBs or equipment in a way that destroys the PCB content 
  • apply to permanently store the equipment underground if you cannot destroy the PCB content

You must keep records to show that you disposed of the PCBs by one of these two methods.

Find out how to identify and dispose of waste containing persistent organic pollutants.

Email PCB-Registrations@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk if you need to discuss how to do this.

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