USGS Researchers Speak to Springfield City Council-August, 3, 2010

In response to a request from the Mayor of Springfield, Missouri, Dr. Barbara Mahler and Dr. Peter VanMetre of the United States Geological Survey attended a special session of the Council. While the video is lengthy (90 minutes plus), it is one of the most understandable presentations on the problem with coal tar pavement sealants to date.

Here are some of the highlights:
* What are PAH's.  This really is a great explanation in simple terms.
* Technical rigor and independent research approach of the USGS
* Historical perspective on the longevity of pollutants after their use is reduced or eliminated
* Explanation of the 40 lakes study that found that a significant percentage of PAH pollution at locations around the country are caused by coal tar pavement sealants.

http://66.119.2.48:554/sp/sp100803coaltar.mp4

Austin Now a Million Pounds Lighter

No it wasn't a fit city weight loss program, but the City of Austin published the results of their ban of coal tar pavement sealants in a Stormwater Magazine editorial.  Since 2006 the ban in Austin has reduced the quantity of PAHs going into Austin's environment by a whopping 1 million pounds!

Link to article

Another Coal Tar Sealant Spill



Dead Fish from Boone, NC

 So, it has happened again.  Another documented case of runoff pollution after a coal tar sealant application.   This time it is in Andover, Massachussetts during the first week of October 2010.  Many of these go unreported.  Some industry applicators say this is just part of doing business!  Perhaps the easiest way to prevent this is to not apply coal tar sealants at all.

The following news article has a few misunderstandings about the product and its general terms, but the core facts are the same.



Cleanup ongoing at site of liquid asphalt spill

Earlier this year it also occurred in Boone, North Carolina and a well-documented video was made of the trout kill downstream of the parking lot source.   Hats off to Donna Lisenby and the Upper Watauga Riverkeepers for putting this together!

Coal Tar Sealant Causes Fish Kill in North Carolina

Sealants Double Dose of Toxins Compared to Oil Spill

Recent headlines (September 30, 2010):

Cancer-Causing Compounds Multiply in Gulf After Oil Spill

Gulf Oil Spill Leaves Behind Cancer Causing Agents

Earlier this year our nation suffered the largest oil spill in our history.  Every day we continued to hear the news that more oil was entering the Gulf of Mexico.  No doubt this has greatly effected the ecosystem and the local economy.  Some scientists from the University of Oregon have completed a study that attempts to quantify the amount of oil that spilled and to further explain the chemical constituents in the oil.

Did you know that the quantity of "cancer causing" PAHs dumped in the Gulf from the oil spill only amount to half of what is sprayed throughout our country annually as coal tar sealants?  That's right.  Put another way is that we spread the equivalent quantity of PAHs of the Deep Water Horizon every six months of every year in around our homes, schools and businesses!  Does that make sense?