Another Bashing of Coal Tar Sealer -- Just in Time for Seminar at NPE

Another report, this one in Sunday's Chicago Tribune, about the supposed hazards of refined coal tar sealer, this report citing a study in Lake in the Hills, a suburb of Chicago. Since I haven't read the study (and am certainly no scientist) I'm not going to comment on the results -- except for the following: * The article and Lake in the Hills study reference the Barton Springs study in Austin, TX, which has already been debunked several times over. * The article makes the same mistake many articles (and studies) make, lumping "coal tar" and "coal tar sealer" together. As contractors know, the coal tar in coal tar sealer is refined prior to its use in sealer product. The refining process, while not eliminating the carcinogens in coal tar, do reduce them to extremely small amounts. * The article's reference several times to the dumping of raw coal tar into landfills, behind factories, and even the reference to chimney sweeps in the late 1700s sickened by coal tar show at the very least a lack of understanding of the material under study. FYI, Pavement Coatings Technology Council's Anne LeHuray does a nice job her brief one-quote opportunity. Too bad the Tribune couldn't give her more space to discuss the issue. Also, the article references (though not by name) the free upcoming National Pavement Expo seminar C-21, "Sealcoating: Regulatory Challenges and Industry Initiatives" Feb. 4 in Nashville. For a complete description or to register visit www.nationalpavementexpo.com.