40 Brave Minnesota Sealant Applicators Take the Pledge to be Coal Tar Free
This just in from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) who is working to phase out the use of coal tar sealants both by encouraging bans of the harmful substance as well as asking applicators to voluntarily stop its use. I wanted to give credit to those applicators who have made this pledge by mentioning […]
Two More Minnesota Communities Pass Bans Last Night
Last night two Minnesota communities, Shorewood and Woodland, passed their final ordinance readings and enacted the 27th and 28th municipal bans of coal tar pavement products in the state. Both communities are situated on the southern shore of Lake Minnetonka. Woodland’s ban includes the prohibition to both apply and sell coal tar sealers.
2012 Coal Tar Freedom Review: American Emancipation Continues
2012 marked advancements in our understanding of the science of coal tar sealant pollution, greater legislative restrictions on its use and more extensive media coverage of the topic in popular press. Interestingly this week also commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Lincoln back in 1862. More on that after we look […]
Shorewood, MN’s Coal-Tar-Free Gift to Lake Christmas Delayed
Last night, Shorewood, Minnesota delayed making a final vote on a coal tar sealant ban in order to tighten up the language of the ordinance. Shorewood, Minnesota includes much of Christmas Lake, interestingly named after one of the original surveyors of Minneapolis. The community, with a population over 7,000, is well known for its year-round […]
New Report Calls for “Decisive Action” to Address Sealant Residue in the Mighty Mississippi
Decisive action is needed to address PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) from coal tar pavement sealants and other contaminants of concern in the Mississippi River according to a recently published report. These are part of the problems found in the section of the River running through the Minneapolis metropolitan area by a joint effort by the […]
State of Minnesota Asks Schools to Stop Coal Tar Sealant Use
This illustrates part of the problem at schools where PAHs can be absorbed through skin. In a letter sent to school superintendents and charter schools across the State of Minnesota, the head of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), Commissioner John Linc Stine, encouraged the leaders of schools to phase out the use of coal tar containing […]
Minneapolis, City of Lakes, Now 2nd Largest US City with Coal Tar Sealant Ban
Standing on the shoulders of 21 Minnesota communities and key legislators and researchers, the City of Minneapolis today passed a ban of coal tar pavement sealants. With a population near 400,000, this sends a clear message to the coal tar sealcoating industry: stop polluting the 10,000 lakes of Minnesota. “The Mississippi River and our beautiful […]
Newport News: 20th Minnesota Sealant Ban Passed!
The City of Newport, Minnesota (population 3,435) became the 20th community in Minnesota to pass a ban of coal tar sealers. Last week’s passage of the ban was confirmed earlier today by Renee Helm, the Executive Analyst for Newport. The community is just a 15 minute drive to Minneapolis and is primarily residential. The City […]
Waconia Springs 19th Minnesota Ban Into Effect
With a history of recreation and outdoor beauty, the City of Waconia, Minnesota (population 10,697) passed a ban to preserve the rich environment that surrounds it. Situated on the shores of a clear 3,000 acre lake, it has been a recreational destination since the 19th century. At their April 16th meeting, the City Council voted unanimously to pass […]
Eden Prairie, One of the Nation’s Best Places, Just Got Better
Eden Prairie, Minnesota tonight voted to ban coal tar pavement sealants. The close-in suburb of the Twin Cities (population over 60,000) has a history of high marks for quality of life. This action marks the 18th community in Minnesota to pass a ban since White Bear Lake became the first. During the discussion of the […]