In a landmark move, a Texas-based group of doctors and health care providers has adopted language in support of banning coal tar pavement sealants. The Austin Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) is part of a national organization with about 40,000 members. It is the first organization of health care providers that has taken such a stand.
In a letter just sent to the Edwards Aquifer Authority (EAA), the Austin PSR stated the following:
“Austin PSR supports the elimination of the use coal tar sealants as they contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) which contaminate the environment and are potentially dangerous to the public health.”
The EAA is expected to vote on some restrictions on coal tar sealer use at a meeting on November 13th. The EAA includes portions of 5 counties and about 2 million residents.
A copy of the letter can be found here.
This is a natural fit for the PSR as their chapter mission states:
The Austin chapter of PSR was formed in 2003 to support the national PSR initiatives at the local Austin level.
We embrace PSR’s mission of “guided by the values and expertise of medicine and public health, Physicians for Social Responsibility works to protect human life from the gravest threats to health and survival.”
And we add our focus on issues that are important to our region, such as clean air, clean water, climate change, health care policy, energy security, and local environmental policy issues.
To learn more about the Physicians for Social Responsibility check out their website at: http://www.psr.org/chapters/austin/