PCBs are man-made chemical compounds that were produced by Monsanto Company in the United States from the early 1930s until the late 1970s, when Congress banned the production and use of PCBs based on their danger to human and environmental health. During those five decades, Monsanto's PCBs were allegedly incorporated into a variety of products and applications including electrical equipment, paints, caulks, and other building materials.
The State Water Resources Control Board has determined that the presence of PCBs in San Jose stormwaterpotentially threatens San Francisco Bay as a habitat for fish and wildlife, impairs its use for recreational opportunities, compromises its quality as a tourist and convention destination, and interferes with its use and enjoyment by the people of the State of California. Other California cities are subject to similar stormwater permits with TMDLs related to the reduction of PCBs prior to discharge into the ocean or other waterways.
