Economic feasibility proposal for treatment and/or disposal technologies of dielectric oils contaminated with PCB

Ecuador is a signatory of the Stockholm Convention on chemical substances and hazardous waste and is responsible for complying with the guidelines for the environmentally adequate disposal of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in the country until 2025. The global management of PCBs begins with the sampling of transformers, analysis of dielectric oil, characterization and final disposal of transformers, oil and PCB material belonging to the electricity sector and private owners. The information on the characterization of PCBs is recorded and stored in a computer system called the National PCB Inventory and Monitoring System (SNIS-PCB), in which, the information of 216,632 transformers must be recorded for the present investigation. In the past 2018, the system registered 90,346 transformers, equivalent to 40% of the inventory, 3,494 of them were contaminated and are owned by electricity companies, and it was estimated that there are 1,063 contaminated transformers from private owners. The objective of the research is to analyze the economic and technical feasibility of the technologies available and allowed in the national regulations for the final disposal of these hazardous wastes. According to the technical characteristics of the technologies, logistical limitations and quantity of PCBs in the country, it has been determined that Dichlorination is a technological option that can be used for the treatment of PCBs, also offering the opportunity of decontamination, reuse of the material, and it is friendly with the environment.