We’re familiar with “thank you for not smoking” slogan, but what about “Thank You For Not Sealing…with Coal Tar Sealants.” That may be the public service warning in the future. Why?Because the risks of getting cancer from coal tar pavement sealants are similar to the risk of getting lung cancer from second hand smoke. A few weeks ago, we reported that the cancer risk to a child living near a coal tar sealed parking lot would be less than 1 in 10,000, which is deemed “unacceptable” according to the Code of Federal Regulations (http://coaltarfreeamerica.blogspot.com/2011/12/cancer-risks-of-coal-tar-sealants.html ).
How does that risk compare to an exposure to cigarettes? A study published at the National Institutes for Health states the risk of getting lung cancer for a female non-smoker working or living with a smoker is about the same as the risk of getting cancer from a coal tar sealed parking lot!
The problem is that while most of us would never think of exposing our children to second hand smoke at school, commercial area or home, they can be very much exposed to high-levels of PAH pollution from coal tar pavement sealants at those same locations that creates a similar risk. Let’s work together to eliminate the unnecessary risk to our communities!