Furthermore, the committee provides a general assessment of the human health and ecological impacts associated with management approaches that may be used at contaminated sites.

After considerable deliberation, the committee does not believe that it is possible to state unequivocally whether dredging, capping, monitored natural attenuation, or any particular remediation option is applicable in general to PCB-contaminated sediment sites. Because each PCB-contaminated site is unique, the selection of remediation options and a risk-management strategy must be based on site-specific factors and risks. Therefore, the committee finds that, without detailed knowledge of a particular site, it is inappropriate to make generalizations concerning whether an option will be effective.

The committee is aware that many readers expect this report to recommend remediation options that are most suitable for reducing the risks associated with PCB-contaminated sediments or on the options that would be most applicable to specific sites. However, the committee strongly believes that making such recommendations is not appropriate, because selection of remediation options must be based on numerous site-specific factors that require evaluation by all affected parties, including local communities and federal and state regulatory agencies. In the committee’s view, the adequacy of the site-specific decisions depends upon the extent to which they are consistent with the risk-management process that the committee recommends.

The committee’s major conclusions and recommendations concerning the risks posed by PCB-contaminated sediments and the options that may be used to manage them are given below. The following sections explain, amplify, and provide support for these conclusions and recommendations. Additional detailed information related to these conclusions and recommendations are provided in the chapters of the report.

1. The committee’s review of recent scientific information supports the conclusion that exposure to PCBs may result in chronic effects (e.g., cancer, immunological, developmental, reproductive, neurological) in humans and/or wildlife. Therefore, the committee considers that the presence of PCBs in sediments may pose long-term public health and ecosystem risks.

2. The paramount consideration for PCB-contaminated sediment sites should be the management of overall risks to humans and the environment rather than the selection of a remediation technology (e.g., dredging, capping or natural attenuation).

Front Matter (R1-R18)

Executive Summary (1-16)

Introduction (17-22)

PCBs in the Environment (23-51)

The Framework (52-67)

Community Involvement (68-95)

Defining the Problem and Setting Management Goals (96-117)

Analyzing Risks (118-188)

Assessing Management Options (189-241)

Making Decisions (242-259)

Implementing the Strategy (260-270)

Evaluating Results (271-290)

Appendix A: Biographical Information on the Committee on Remediation of PCB-Contaminated Sediments (291-295)

Appendix B: Participants at the Public Sessions (296-297)

Appendix C: Public Access Materials (298-318)

Appendix D: Case Studies (319-328)

Appendix E: PCB Biodegradation (329-333)

Appendix F: Methods of Analysis of PCBs in Sediments, Water, and Biota (334-362)

Appendix G: Toxicity of PCBs (363-427)

Appendix H: Nomenclature of PCBs (428-432)