Great Coal Tar News from a Most Unexpected Place: China
From the world’s largest producer of coal tar, China, comes a glimmer of hope and perhaps better times ahead for the Chinese people. Poor air quality is the reason cited for shuttering a coking facility’s operation at the end of June by the Chinese government. An associated coal tar producing facility was also scheduled to […]
Seeing Asthma Through Tar-Tinted Glasses
Ever meet that gregarious sort that moves through a crowd, not just greeting folks, but dispensing encouragement like rain to a parched ground? Peter is just like that. He’s old enough to have grown children, probably in his fifties or sixties. I watched him move through a crowd with grace at the Transplant Games of […]
US News & World Report Picks Up on Austin’s Ban Success
Yesterday US News and World Report covered the recent USGS study showing the levels of toxic chemicals in Austin’s lake sediments have dropped nearly 60% since the City implemented a ban of coal tar pavement sealers. This is the first national news outlet to pick up on this story. Last week Congressman Lloyd Doggett held […]
Recommended Summer Read: Toms River
Last weekend, my wife and I did a 2,000 mile drive for a wedding. With a hectic schedule leading up to our departure, I quickly downloaded a few audio books from our public library to help the miles go by. I covered the usual genres that we enjoy listening together: historical fiction, cultural commentary, and […]
Should Pregnant Women Avoid Coal Tar Sealed Surfaces?
Is that an appropriate question or might some say this is too extreme? Let’s review some things to consider: PAHs affect the unborn in many negative ways. Research by the United States Geological Survey says that coal tar sealants are high in PAHs and for years continue to off-gas high levels of PAHs to the […]
Reminder: Coal Tar Sealant Reduction Webinar Tomorrow
5/22 Webinar for Community Officials & Staff on Recently Identified Pollution Source You are cordially invited to attend a free webinar on May 22 at 12:00 pm (EST) that highlights an emerging and serious pollution source that is costing communities hundreds of thousands of dollars in clean-up costs and is threatening the health of community […]
MSU Shows Leadership on Coal Tar Sealer Issue
Editor’s Note:As of 2015, MSU has gone back to using coal tar sealers!! This article reflects the optimism of that initial announcement to use a non-coal tar sealer. Good news from Springfield, Missouri in an online newsletter by the President of Missouri State University, Dr. Clif Smart: they are seriously looking to move away from coal […]
Another Problem with Coal Tar Sealer Washoffs: Groundwater
We have learned a lot about coal tar sealer pollution over the last decade or so. We know that uncured and recently cured coal tar sealers continue to export toxins days and weeks after application. We know this affects fish, salamanders and other aquatic species. But one line of research that hasn’t been done is […]
Sealant Worker Safety Myth in Jeopardy
The sealer industry is fond of saying how safe their product is for worker safety. No evidence, no claims, no one harmed. Even during this spring’s legislative season, the statements have continued. Our position has been that it is faulty logic to claim a statement as true without any comprehensive analysis to support it. Until […]
Tales From the Front: What Coal Tar Contractors are Telling Their Customers
A letter is being circulated around among contractors that continue to use coal tar sealants. They use it to convince their customers to continue to use this toxic product. Isn’t it amazing that this was the most read article among sealcoating contractors in 2012 and 2013? It was written from a contractor to his client to […]