Czech Environmental Inspectorate, other officials, to try and determine source of elevated PCB in Labe's alluvial plain near Germany

The Czech Environmental Inspectorate and officials from Povodí Labe are working to try and discover the source of unusually high levels of PCB in the river's alluvial plain near Germany, new website iDnes reports. According to the site, levels are considerably higher than normal although water in the river has remained largely unaffected. Across the border, German authorities have also registered a high presence of the substance in the sediment. Polychlorinated biphenyl was used in the past as a coolant but also had many other industrial applications. It is now banned or restricted in many countries.