New Ban Puts Winnetka on Track Toward a Cleaner Future
Tonight the Village Council of Winnetka stood firm with many of their residents and against heavy lobbying by the coal tar sealer industry. After nearly 2 hours of public comment, they passed a ban of coal tar pavement sealers with a vote of 4 to 1. Winnetka is Illinois’ second community to pass a ban. […]
It’s Not a Complicated Story
It seems like a lot of information, but you know it’s not a complicated story. It’s not subtle. There’s not a lot mysteries to tease out in this. As scientists so often we pose ourselves questions and we may find answers, but it’s like this one is 20 percent higher than this or that is 5 […]
DC Coal Tar Ban Nearing a Half Million Square Feet of Cleaned Parking Lots, Less Toxic Chemicals in Environment
Last week we tweeted out the following good news story from the District of Columbia’s Department of the Environment, but sometimes a tweet just doesn’t do some things justice! Like this. This quiet, heroic effort has done so much to demonstrate positive pollution prevention. It is worth repeating that a coal tar sealer ban is […]
Austin Board: Coal Tar Ban Success Demands a National Response
Late last month Austin’s Environmental Board unanimously voted to modify the City’s federal legislative agenda to include a national ban on coal tar pavement sealers. This motion was made after hearing a presentation by staff biologist Mateo Scoggins on the recent USGS research that showed nearly a 60% decline in pollution levels in the sediments […]
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 […]
Video Summary of Austin’s Water Quality Improvements
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 […]
2014 Asphalt vs Coal Tar Sealer Prices: Costs Outpace Inflation
This year the price of driveway sealcoat continues its climb over previous years. Both coal tar and asphalt-based products saw the largest percentage increases in the last 4 years inspite of a dwindling variety of coal tar based products. 1973 Ad for Coal Tar Sealer The survey, which we have done annually since 2011, saw […]
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 […]
Doggett: USGS Coal Tar Report Wake Up Call for America
From the desk of Congressman Lloyd Doggett:I am writing to share some good news about efforts to combat carcinogens. I recently joined U.S. Geological Survey scientists Peter Van Metre and Barbara Mahler and Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell to announce the dramatic decrease in PAHs (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons), a known carcinogen from coal tar sealants, found […]