Badger State Ban Breakers Face Bigger Bills
Earlier this summer, Dane County, Wisconsin approved tougher fines for violators of their coal tar sealant ban. The ban in Dane County is the nation’s second oldest. The bans change the fines are as follows: the first violation by a homeowner changes from $25 to $100 the first violation by a commercial applicator goes from $50 to $500 […]
Today Health Recommendation: Keep Toxins Out of Your House; Stop Using Coal Tar Sealants
In collaboration with Rodale Press, this recommendation comes from the Today Show Health website. The title of the article is 5 Toxic Chemicals You Should Banish from Your Home by Leah Zerbe states that the problem with coal tar sealants stems from the quantity of toxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the material. The article goes on […]
Just the FAQ’s Now Available
With a growing site of information about the problem of coal tar sealant pollution, it seemed reasonable to put together an FAQ or “Frequently Asked Questions” section on the topic. The answers have links to sites, posts, or videos that go into more detail. Some references are quoted extensively because they are well-written and succint. […]
A Worry-Free Guide to Implementing a Coal Tar Sealant Ban
I’ve heard a lot of speculation over the last few years about how difficult it is to implement a ban of coal tar sealants. Most of the time it is from purported experts that are attempting to make it seem “just too hard” or those that are just guessing and haven’t done their homework. No more guessing, […]
Oh Canada Passes Coal Tar Sealant Ban!
Well sort of. Actually the City of Little Canada’s City Council passed a coal tar sealant ban in late July. Little Canada (population about 10,000) becomes the 11th community in Minnesota to pass a ban. The ban is effective immediately and violators can face fines up to $1,000 and/or a maximum jail sentence up to 90 […]
Busting Sealant Myths: “Purity” of Refined Coal Tar
In the days gone by, adults looked for an easier way to explain that awkward question from a child “where do babies come from?” I guess that’s why myths are created because the truth might make us feel uncomfortable. However myths and fables still abound especially when we talk about coal tar sealants. One of […]
Industry Whiffs at Ban Veto Pitch in Suffolk County
Representatives of the coal tar sealant industry failed yesterday in their attempt to overturn a coal tar sealant ban passed by the Suffolk County Legislature. In June members of the coal tar sealant industry petitioned outgoing Republican County Executive Steve Levy to veto the ban. As was reported in an earlier story, industry claimed there was no […]
Industry Seeks, Gains Delay of Sealant Ban
Reminiscent of a horror movie when you thought it was over and the monster was dead, in comes the industry making their patented breaks with science and logic and has gained some traction in at least one jurisdiction. As was reported on this site in earlier this year, Winfield, Kansas became the first community in […]
Roseville, MN: No More Peddling Coal Tar Here!
Earlier today the City of Roseville, Minnesota (pop. 33,660) passed a ban of coal tar containing pavement products. It becomes the tenth city in Minnesota to pass a ban. The City Council was told that under new rules, which limit the concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in pond sediment, 2 of the last 3 […]
Key Long Island County Rejects Coal Tar Sealant Use
Earlier today Suffolk County, New York with a robust population near 1.5 million, passed a ban on the use and sale of coal tar pavement sealants. This ban marks the second county in the United States to do so. Under the leadership of the Suffolk County Legislature Presiding Officer William J. Lindsay, the bill passed the Suffolk […]