Polychlorinated biphenyls and heavy metal levels in recycled paper for household use

The interest in the use of recycled products has been growing for the past many years. Thus, the dangerous chemicals once in use, now forbidden, may persist in the recycled products. This may pose a problem of bioaccumulation of poisonous chemicals as well as a threat to the philosophy of the use of recycled products. The non-carbon copying paper containing 2-6% polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's) by weight has been commonly used in the nineteen sixties. Although the use of non-carbon copypaper has been forbidden for the past 15 years, it has been demonstrated that recycled papers contained small amounts of PCB's similar to those used for the production of non-carbon copypaper. Thus the old discarded archives may be one of the sources of PCB's in the recycled papers. Besides PCB's cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb) and other heavy metals from the print-inks (colors) may also be introduced to the recycled paper. The aim of the present study was to evaluate, on behalf of Danish Environmental Protection Agency, the levels of PCB's, Cd, Hg and Pb in the recycled paper for the household use. For this purpose the authors undertook a pilot study for the determination of the contents of PCB'smore » Cd, Hg and Pb in recycled papers that were available in the Danish market.« less