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Ban on Pavement Sealants is Proposed
Legislators in at least three Great Lakes states are proposing statewide bans of certain pavement sealants that have killed aquatic animals and are considered a possible health risk to humans as well as mutations and birth defects in aquatic life.
Already banned in 15 municipalities and two counties in four states; Minnesota, New York, Texas, and Wisconsin, but the statewide bans appear to be on hold while experts argue over their effectiveness.
Coal-tar sealant is primarily used on parking lots and contains ingredients that are considered human carcinogens by the Environmental Protection Agency. The sealants release large amounts of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) into the environment during application. And as the sealant erodes, rain can wash them into lakes, rivers and streams.
Studies linking the PAHs to human illnesses have prompted legislators to propose bans on the coal-tar sealcoat in several states, but proponents of the ban say the risk to human health has been overblown and exaggerated.
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