What levels of polychlorinated biphenyls are safe for plants and animals that live in or on Canadian soils?
The Canadian Soil Quality Guidelines (CSoQG) depend on the type of land and its use. Each guideline was based on data from toxicity studies. The guidelines are for total PCBs present in the soil. The CSoQG for agricultural land is 0.5 milligrams of PCBs per kilogram of soil. The CSoQG for residential and parkland (parks, cemeteries, schools) is 1.3 milligrams of PCBs per kilogram of soil. These guidelines are intended to protect animal consumers from the effects of ingesting PCBs in contaminated soil and food. The CSoQG for commercial and industrial lands is 33 milligrams of PCBs per kilogram of soil. This guideline was determined for soil contact, and may need to be modified depending on site-specific conditions. If the level of PCBs measured in soil is less than the corresponding guideline, one would not expect to see direct adverse health effects. In places where the CSoQGs for PCBs are exceeded, adverse effects will not necessarily occur. Whether effects will occur depends on the a
