Were all or some of the lighting fixtures in your facility built or renovated before 1979?
If yes, they probably contain PCB light ballasts.
NYSUT recently sponsored an EPA-led health and safety webinar on the topic of PCBs in light ballasts. The webinar was customized for custodial and maintenance NYSUT members, health and safety activists and local leaders interested in this issue, which is now gaining public attention.
The webinar addresses PCBs and their health effects; why the EPA is concerned about school light fixtures containing PCBs; how to recognize PCB light fixtures and leaks; how to handle leaking ballasts; storage and disposal of PCB fixtures; and the ongoing experience of New York City schools that are dealing with this issue.
The webinar was produced by NYSUT in partnership with Region 2 of the Environmental Protection Agency and the United Federation of Teachers.