Are old school buildings still leaking PCBs into the air kids breathe?
Yes. Caulk and old fluorescent lights in mid-century schools still emit PCBs into the air.
What's actually in it
Polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, were used in caulk, paint, and fluorescent light ballasts in buildings up through the late 1970s. They were banned in 1979, but every school built before then can still have PCB-laden caulk around windows and doors. The PCBs slowly come out as gas into classroom air.
Kids spend many hours a day in the building, so even small constant exposure adds up.
What the research says
A 2026 study in Environ Sci Technol measured PCB emissions from building materials in Vermont schools. Old caulk was a major source, and many classrooms had air levels above the EPA's recommended action limit. Fluorescent ballasts and old paint added more.
PCBs are linked to learning problems and immune effects in kids.
Ask your school district whether the building was tested for PCBs. Push for caulk replacement and fluorescent ballast retrofits if the building is pre-1980. At home, this isn't usually a worry unless you live in a pre-1980 commercial conversion.
The research at a glance
| Study | Journal | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Widespread Emissions of Polychlorinated Biphenyls from Building Materials in Vermont Schools. | Environ Sci Technol | 2026 |
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