Rep. Pagan working on new law banning coal tar sealants in Michigan

State Rep. Kristy Pagan, who represents voters in Van Buren Township and the city of Belleville as well as Canton Township, said she is continuing to fight for the bill she introduced, House Bill 5174, that will prohibit the use and sale of coal-tar based products in Michigan.
In her most recent newsletter, Rep. Pagan said, “Coal tar sealants, which are commonly used to seal driveways, parking lots and playgrounds, release a class of chemicals called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), some of which are carcinogenic and known to cause birth defects and cancer.
“Coal-tar sealants also threaten our water systems and Great Lakes, as runoff due to rain can contaminate vital water sources. As the sealcoat weathers, dust from pavement is tracked into homes via shoes and clothing, and rain loosens PAH particles, which spread into soil, storm drains, lakes and rivers.
“The Great Lakes region is particularly affected, with 50-75 percent of all PAHs found in sediments within the Great Lakes region shown to come from coal-tar sealcoat,” she said.