Hexachlorobenzene (C6Cl6)

Other names

HCB, perchlorobenzene

CAS Number

118-74-1

Properties

  • colourless to white solid
  • insoluble in water
  • is a persistent organic pollutant

Main sources

  • agriculture: fungicide used to treat seeds
  • industry: secondary product in the production of specific chemicals and during combustion processes

Thresholds for the reporting requirement of facilities in accordance with Annex 2 PRTRO

(Ordinance on the Register relating to Pollutant Release and the Transfer of Waste and of Pollutants in Waste Water)

  • Air               10 kg/year
  • Water          1 kg/year
  • Soil              1 kg/year

Impacts

  • inhibits the synthesis of haeme (heme) in the human body
  • decomposes very slowly (soil half-life of up to twenty years)

Measures

  • banned since the Stockholm Convention came into force in 2004

Further information

Contact
Last modification 16.12.2016

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