• November 21, 2024
  • 7:40 AM
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US Coal Tar and High PAH Sealant Bans and
Government Restrictions

GOLD- 0.1% PAH ban; SILVER- 1% PAH ban; PURPLE-ban for coal tar; GREEN gov't use restriction; RED conditional restricted use (e.g., near wetlands, etc)

View US Coal Tar Sealant Bans & Government Restrictions in a larger map.

For more information on a ban in a particular area, click on the links below the listed government body. We’ve update the markings to reflect upcoming standards for sealcoat.  For the most part regulations across the country are for all products above 0.1% PAH, above 1% and bans of coal tar sealers alone.

Follow this link for a list of documents which include actual proposed and adopted Bans.

Summary of Bans to Date:

  • First ban: Austin, Texas
  • First ban of any sealer above a PAH standard: Van Buren Township, MI
  • Federal district ban: Washington, D.C.
  • Largest municipal ban: San Antonio, Texas
  • Largest municipal ban with a PAH limit: Austin, TX
  • State bans: Washington, Minnesota, Maine (Effective 10/2024), New York (sales cease 11/2022; application ends 11/2023), Maryland (ban effective 10/2023) and Virginia (ban of retail sale 7/2024; application 7/2025).
  • County bans: Dane, Wisconsin; Montgomery, MD; Prince George’s, MD; Anne Arundel, MD; Howard, MD; Cook, IL and Suffolk, NY
  • State with most local bans: Minnesota (29) until the Minnesota statewide ban went into effect in 2014.
  • Number of states/districts with a ban within the boundaries of the state: 15 (Texas, Wisconsin, New York, Washington, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Maine, Minnesota, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Wisconsin and District of Columbia)
  • Number of states/districts with known restrictions within the boundaries of the state: 17 (Texas, Wisconsin, New York, Massachusetts, District of Columbia, Michigan, North Carolina, South Carolina, Washington, California, Kansas, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Maine, Connecticut, Virginia and Missouri)

COAL TAR SEALER BANS

This list covers communities with an outright prohibition on the use of coal tar sealants.

*An asterisk denotes those which have a high PAH ban.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

*Washington, DC (0.1% PAH limit)

Link to Ordinance
DC Ban Violator Successfully Removes Toxic Sealant!
DC Ban a Prototype of Future Federal Action?

ILLINOIS

*Cook County, IL (1.0% PAH limit) (Effective 9/10/2024: 180 days from passage)

Link to Ordinance

Deerfield, IL

Evanston, IL

Link to Ordinance

Glenview, IL

Highland Park, IL

Lockport, IL

Mount Prospect, IL

*Northbrook, IL (PAH limit is on all products with levels similar to coal tar)

*North Barrington, IL (0.1% PAH limit)

Port Barrington, IL

Link to Ordinance

Riverwoods, IL

Rolling Meadows, IL

South Barrington, IL
Illinois Community Passes State’s First Outright Coal Tar Sealer Ban

Link to Ordinance

Tower Lakes, IL

Vernon Hills, IL

 
 

KANSAS

Winfield, KS
Industry Seeks, Gains Delay of Sealant Ban
Another State With a Municipal Sealant Ban

Link to Ordinance

MAINE

*State of Maine

(Effective Sale banned October 1, 2023; Application banned October 1, 2024)

(1.0% PAH limit)

Link to Ordinance

Yarmouth, ME 

Link to Ordinance

MARYLAND

State of Maryland (1% PAH limit) (ban effective 10/2023)

Annapolis, MD

Anne Arundel County, MD
Maryland: the Coal Tar ‘Free State‘
Anne Arundel Coal Tar Sealer Ban Official

Howard County, MD

 
 
Prince George’s County, MD
 
MASSACHUSSETS

MICHIGAN

*Almont, MI (0.1 % PAH)

Good News: Coal tar ban in Almont first in Clinton River Watershed!

Link to Ordinance

*Ann Arbor, MI (0.1% PAH limit)
Ann Arbor Tackles “No Brainer” Coal Tar Sealer Problem

*Ann Arbor Township, MI (0.1% PAH limit)

Link to Ordinance

*Clarkston, MI  (0.1% PAH limit)

Link to Ordinance

*Dexter, MI (0.1% PAH limit)

Link to Ordinance

Grosse Ille, MI

Link to Ordinance

*Hamburg Township, MI (0.1% PAH limit)

Link to Ordinance

Laketon Township, MI

*Pinckney, MI (0.1% PAH limit)

*Pittsfield Township, MI (0.1% PAH limit)

*Scio Township, MI (0.1% PAH limit)

Spring Lake Township, MI

*Van Buren Township, MI (0.1% PAH limit)
New Sealer Alternatives Aren’t All They’re Cracked Up to be

*West Bloomfield Township, MI (0.1% PAH limit)

*Wolverine Lake, MI (0.1% PAH limit)

*Ypsilanti, MI (0.1% PAH limit)

Thanks Ypsilanti, Huron River Watershed Now 40% Coal-Tar Free

MINNESOTA

Link to 2013 Statewide regulations on the use of coal tar sealers

Albertville, MN

Buffalo, MN
Add Buffalo, MN to List of Coal Tar Sealant Bans

Cannon Falls, MN
Cannon Falls Out of Love with Coal Tar Sealants

Centerville, MN
“Bans Won’t Affect Business in Long-Term” says MN Sealant CEO

Circle Pines, MN

 
 
Elk River, MN

Elm Grove, WI

Falcon Heights, MN
Falcon Heights Sets Its Sights on Being Coal Tar Free

Golden Valley, MN

Little Canada, MN

Oh Canada Passes Coal Tar Sealant Ban

Maplewood, MN

Medina, MN

New Hope, MN
 

NEW YORK

State of New York (1% PAH limit) (ban of sale effective 11/2022 and application ban in 11/2023)

Governor Hochul Signs Package of Bills Including the Ban of Coal Tar Sealers

Dear NY Governor: It is Time to Lead on Coal Tar Sealers

Link to Ordinance

Suffolk County, NY
Industry Whiffs at Ban Veto Pitch in Suffolk County
Key Long Island County Rejects Coal Tar Sealants

NORTH CAROLINA

*Charlotte, NC (0.1% PAH limit)

More Good News: from Charlotte NC:  just banned toxic coal tar and high PAH sealers. Combined with Mecklenburg County, they represent more than 1.1 million citizens!

Link to Ordinance

Matthews, NC

Mecklenburg County, NC

PENNSYLVANIA

Aleppo, PA

Aspinwall, PA

Fox Chapel, PA

Franklin Park, PA

Glen Osborne, PA

Millvale, PA

Oakmont, PA

Pine Township, PA

Link to Ordinance

Sharpsburg, PA

SOUTH CAROLINA

Greenville, SC
South Carolina’s First Coal Tar Sealer Ban is Now on the Books!

Link to Ordinance

TEXAS

*Austin, TX (0.1% PAH limit)

Link to Ordinance

Bee Cave, TX

Edwards Aquifer Authority, TX
Texas Aquifer District Stomps Out Coal Tar in Sensitive Areas
Texas-sized Aquifer District Hears All Hat and No Cattle Presentation from Industry

San Antonio, TX
Video Summary of San Antonio’s Historic Vote
TX Doctors’ Prescription for San Antonio: Ban Coal Tar Sealers
Coal Tar Sealers Are a Net Financial Burden

Link to Ordinance

San Marcos, TX
“Common-sense” Coal Tar Ban Passes in San Marcos, TX

VIRGINIA

State of Virginia (1% PAH limit)

(ban of retail sale 7/2024; application 7/2025)

Link to the Bill

WASHINGTON

State of Washington

Link to the Ordinance
“We Are the First, We Won’t Be the Last,” Ban Officially Passes Washington Legislature!
America Responds to Washington Ban
Washington State Ban Official Today! Bans Now Affect Nearly 9 Million!

WISCONSIN

*Ashland, WI (0.1% PAH)

Link to Ordinance

*Bayside, WI (0.1% PAH limit)

Link to Ordinance

*Brown Deer, WI (0.1% PAH)

Link to Ordinance

*De Pere, WI (0.1% PAH limit)

Link to Ordinance 

*Elm Grove, WI (1% PAH limit)
 
*Franklin, WI (0.1% PAH limit)

Link to Ordinance

*Gibraltar, WI (0.1% PAH

*Glendale, WI (0.1% PAH limit)
 

*Green Bay, WI (0.1% PAH limit)

Link to Ordinance

*Greendale, WI (0.1% PAH)

Link to  Ordinance

*Greenfield, WI (0.1% PAH)

Link

Hales Corners, WI

*Manitowoc, WI (0.1% PAH)

Link to Ordinance

*Milwaukee, WI (1% PAH limit)

Link to Ordinance

*Oak Creek, WI

Link to Ordinance

Plymouth, WI

*Port Washington, WI (0.1% PAH limit)

Link to Ordinance

*Racine, WI (0.1% PAH)

Link to Ordinance

*Sheboygan, WI (0.1% PAH limit)

Link to Ordinance

*Shorewood, WI (0.1% PAH limit)

Link to Ordinance

*St. Francis, WI (0.1% PAH limit)

Link to Ordinance 

*Sturgeon Bay, WI (0.1% PAH limit)

Link to Ordinance

*Wauwatosa, WI (0.1% PAH limit)

Link to Ordinance

*West Allis, WI (0.1% PAH limit)

Link to Ordinance

Whitefish Bay, WI

NATIONWIDE

 Ace Hardware Stores Throughout the US

Home Depot Stores Throughout US

Lowes Stores Throughout US

TODAY Health Recommendation: Keep Toxins Out of Your House; Stop Using Coal Tar Sealants

Menards Hardware Stores Throughout the US

True Value Hardware Stores Throughout the US

RESTRICTED-USE JURISDICTIONS

This class of restrictions represent locations where the use of coal tar sealers is restricted. For example in Massachusetts coal tar sealers can not be used on a parking lot that drains to a designated wetland.
 
MASSACHUSETTS
 
Statewide restrictions for paved surfaces with stormwater discharges to regulated wetlands.
 
Andover, MA Wetlands 
 
Arlington, MA Wetlands
 
Harwich, MA
 
Sudbury, MA
 

NORTH CAROLINA

Boone, NC

Tar Heel Town Tackles Toxic Sealant

  
GOVERNMENT-USE JURISDICTIONS

CALIFORNIA

CalTrans (California’s department of transportation)
California on the Road to Being Coal Tar Free!

CONNECTICUT

State of Connecticut
Thanks to @GovMalloyOffice, Connecticut’s coal tar ban starts 10/1/2017!

Pomfret, CT

ILLINOIS

*Statewide regulations on the use of coal tar sealers and high PAH products (0.1%) at schools and state property

(Effective January 2023)

Link to State Law

Addison, IL

Bloomingdale, IL

Carol Stream, IL

The Conservation Foundation, IL

Downers Grove, IL

Downers Grove Sanitary District, IL

DuPage County/Salt Creek Work Group (IL)
(representing about 1,000,000 463,000 citizens in suburban Chicago)
Chicago Area Watershed Group Adds Another Million Citizens Under Government Use Restrictions
Chicagoland: Home of the Most Toxic Creeks in the US?

DuPage County, IL

Elmhurst, IL

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, IL

Glenbard Wastewater Authority, IL

Lake in the Hills, IL
Chicago Tribune: Toxic Goop on Driveway May Be Tracked Into Home

Lombard, IL

McHenry County, IL
Great New Resource for Coal Tar Info

Naperville, IL

Wheaton Sanitary District, IL

Westmont, IL

Woodridge, IL

MICHIGAN

Albert Township, Lewiston, MI

Clark Township, Cedarville, MI

Byron Township, Byron Center, MI

Erie Township, Erie, MI
 
Fruitland Township, Whitehall, MI
 
Laketon Township, Muskegon, MI
University of Michigan

White River Township, Montague, MI

Whitehall Township, Whitehall, MI

MISSOURI

Branson, MO

Springfield, MO

NEW YORK

State of New York
Changed Empire State of Mind Toward Coal Tar Sealers

PENNSYLVANIA

Bellvue, PA

Ben Avon, PA

Blawnox, PA

Bradford Woods, PA

Etna, PA

Hampton Township, PA

Mt. Lebanon, PA

Ohara Township, PA

Richland Township, PA

Link to Ordinance

Shaler Township, PA