VIRGINIA, USA — A bill seeking to ban a commonly used sealant that has been linked to cancer is advancing to the Virginia Senate.
House Bill 985, proposed by Delegate Kathy Tran, would prohibit the distribution and use of a harmful coal tar sealant used on driveways for homes and businesses. The same product has already been banned in Maryland and D.C.
Joe Wood, a Senior Scientist for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, testified recently in support of the bill and the need for the ban.
"These chemicals have severe effects for both humans and wildlife as carcinogenic," Wood said. "The risk of living in a home where these products are used is on the order of living in a home with secondhand smoke. Something on the order of a 30-fold lifetime cancer risk."
But it's not just a risk to humans.
"These chemicals also promote the growth of tumors in fish and cause problems for freshwater mussels and oysters," Wood added. "So they're really not good for people or wildlife."
The chemicals can harm humans through skin contact, like a child sitting on the driveway. They can also be loosened by cars driving over the surface and then wash away when it rains, further spreading the toxins.
Bans on the toxic sealant have already shown to be incredibly effective with some places showing a 50% decline in toxins in waterways after only a few years.
And it really is an easy fix. There are effective alternatives on the market that are asphalt based, much better for the environment and similarly priced.
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