On Paws and PAHs
On Paws and PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) Recently we faced the unpleasant decision to put a dog of ours, Chandler (above left) to sleep after being a big part of the family for nearly 13 years. Even though she was annoying at times with family and guests, I am surprised by the sadness I […]
US EPA Debunks Industry’s Witch Hunt Conspiracy Theory
In a recent letter, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) supported the coal tar sealer research findings of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) in spite of an industry complaint. The industry had sought to have a publication by the EPA removed from their website. The publication, which we have linked to here, is […]
Austin Celebrates David and Goliath Moment!
Grandma Leads Community to a Better Future w/o Coal Tar Sealers
Editor’s note: The following is a story of how one community worked to find a better alternative to coal tar sealers in their neighborhood. It isn’t a product endorsement, but another example of a better way of doing pavement preservation as we have highlighted before. This article originally was published in the DuPage Sierran, a […]
Calling Out and On Stormwater Professionals: Take a Stand Against Coal Tar Sealers
I’m calling on stormwater professionals to do the unexpected: put your name out there as someone who supports the increased regulation of toxic, coal tar pavement sealers. A man dies when he refuses to stand up for that which is right. A man dies when he refuses to stand up for justice. A man dies […]
Austin Celebrates 10th Anniversary of the Nation’s First Coal Tar Sealer Ban
City Biologist Recounts Highs and Lows of Discovery, Media, and the Ban On November 18, 2005 the City of Austin enacted the nation’s first ban of coal tar sealers. Ten years later, Austin’s waters are cleaner and over 18 million Americans have joined them in a ban. The local university’s saying (the University of Texas), […]
New Sealer Alternatives Aren’t All They’re Cracked Up to Be
New Michigan Ban First to Outlaw New Products ‘Tis the Season for grand beginnings from humble locations! In that spirit Van Buren Township, Michigan, with little fanfare, ushered in a new era in pavement sealant regulation: banning all products which exceed a certain level of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). It is the first of its […]
WEF Exclusive: Coal Tar Sealers Past, Present & Future
The following article appeared in the October/November 2015 Issue of World Water Stormwater Management Magazine, a Water Environment Federation (WEF) publication and is presented here with the permission of WEF, one of the world’s leading organizations in water management with about 34,000 members. Coal Tar Sealers: Past, Present and Future by Tom Ennis on Scribd
Cold Hard Facts About Stuffed Animals and Sealed Asphalt
Consumer Testing Group Finds Widespread Contamination By the end of 2015, the European Union will be changing the standard for certain chemicals in consumer products including children’s toys. The standard for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are also found in pavement sealers, will be 0.5 parts per million. Last week a German testing firm released […]
TarMan Chronicles: First 10 Years Coal Tar Free
First of all Happy Birthday Austin, Texas which today, 10 years ago, passed the nation’s first ban of coal tar pavement sealers. To mark that occasion, here is a 2 minute cartoon-video which tries to summarize the highlights of what has happened in that 10 years. My apologies to some if I have not highlighted […]