VBT Environmental Commission gets report on dangers of coal tar driveway sealers

Retired Vanderbilt University Chemistry Professor Dave Wilson gave a report on the dangers of coal tar sealers for driveways and playgrounds at the March 18 meeting of the Van Buren Township Environmental Commission.
Dr. Wilson is a member of the VBT commission and he said he recently became aware of the dangers of coal tar based driveway sealers, which carry higher levels of PAH than sealers based on asphalt, latex, acrylic and other substances.
Coal-tar-based sealcoat products, widely used in the central and eastern U.S. on parking lots, driveways, and even playgrounds, are a known human carcinogen that contains about 200 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds.
PAH in coal tar based sealers is 5-10% and in asphalt it is 0.005-0.01%, about one-thousandth of the concentration of PAHs found in coal tar-based sealers. Also, PAH in runoff is much more in coal tar based than asphalt, he said.
This means the dust can be carried inside homes from the driveway on the bottom of shoes and be a health hazard.
Dr. Wilson said environmental hazards of PAH include lower IQ for children, childhood asthma, and low birth rate. He said years ago there was a disease called “chimney sweep cancer” which chimney sweeps got from the coal tar in the chimneys.
He said children play on the driveways and put their hands in their mouths, the dust is carried into the homes on feet, and it is washed down storm drains into settling ponds. It is very expensive to clean out PAH contaminated ponds, he said.
Dr. Wilson said the states of Washington and Minnesota ban coal tar sealants and Michigan tried but lost in the legislature. The University of Michigan does not use sealants containing coal tar.
He said Lowe’s, Sears, Home Depot, Ace Hardware and True Value, among others, carry alternatives to coal tar sealants.
He said coal tar sealant is about $25 for a five-gallon container. Asphalt is more expensive at $30.
He said in his research, he found that there is a lot of misinformation put out by those associated with the products.
Dr. Wilson said he is seeking a Resolution from the township trustees, not legislation just now. He would just like them to come out against the use of coal tars. Then people would know to ask about the content of proposed sealants on their property.
He said in a month a brochure on coal tars will be available from Ann Arbor which is considering an ordinance.
Dr. Wilson said they could ask the township and the school district to stop the use of coal tar based sealants. He also would seek an ordinance banning use of coal tar based sealants in the township and forbid contractors to use it.
“I think education is important,” said Commission Chairman David Brownlee. “No one thinks about it.” He suggested voluntary compliance and education of township residents.
Township Trustee Jeff Jahr, the township board’s liaison to the commission, said if Ann Arbor “can do an ordinance, we can do an ordinance.”
“This is very alarming,” said township Trustee Reggie Miller, who was present for another topic. She suggested someone do a “commercial” for the township’s cable channel to explain the issue.
Trustee Jahr suggested Dr. Wilson do his presentation for the board, noting he himself would have no problem introducing a resolution about the township not using coal tar sealant.
Trustee Miller said she would support that.
Dr. Wilson explained his interest in the subject.
“I stumbled across it at the Huron River Watershed Council,” he said. “Coal tar? Of course… Why didn’t I think of this decades ago?
“What I like about this little project for our committee is we don’t have to raise taxes,” Dr. Wilson said.
Brownlee said they need to roll this out to the township board and, “An educated community will make the decisions. They will ask if it’s coal tar.”
“I did a fair amount of homework on this,” Dr. Wilson said, after his detailed PowerPoint presentation was over.
“This is not a matter where the gutters are running red with blood,” Dr. Wilson said. “We don’t need to panic. But we can reduce cancer risks significantly at a very, very low cost … The problem is we’ll have to pay a little bit of a premium … about 10%.”
The issue will be placed on the next Environmental Commission agenda for further discussion.
In other business at the one-hour-40-minute meeting, the commission:
• Noted there would be a Household Hazardous Waste Collection from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 4 at the Romulus Civic Center, 11111 Wayne Road for all residents of Wayne County;
• Learned the state is seeking public input on the TENORM (Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials) Advisory Panel White Paper draft report that was recently released. Jack Knowles, VBT Director of Planning and Economic Development, said he talked to an official at the MDEQ earlier that day and the MDEQ is willing to come out and give a presentation on the report. The report will not be finalized until the public comments are in hand, Knowles said. Dr. Wilson has prepared a review of the report with questions and suggestions;
• Heard three visitors in the audience ask if the Environmental Commission would officially disagree with the governor’s panel, if the commission would work to ban fracking, if all VBT fire fighters should be HazMat trained for accidents on the way to the hazardous waste landfill, and other related issues. Brownlee said the comments were well-taken and, “We’ll do what we can”;
• Heard an update on the Tyler Dam in Ypsilanti Township that had a test that showed the sediments had an increased rate of carcinogenic materials, with a test two years later saying it had no contaminants, done by the same engineering group. There was a plan to take the dam out and flush the sediments, which would go right into Belleville Lake, Dr. Wilson said. Now there is discussion on other options;
• Discussed the commission’s tour of the EQ-U.S. Ecology hazardous waste landfill and Brownlee’s suggestion for an Ambassador Program to take people representing different groups on a tour of the facility so they can be educated in what is going on at the landfill. Also, Brownlee suggested encouraging people to go on tours of the ReCommunity recycling plant in Huron Township to learn more about recycling; and
• Heard Brownlee’s plan to start a list of places to take recyclables that can’t be picked up curbside and asking commission members to add to the list to make it complete. “Be exhaustive in your search,” Brownlee said to the commission members. The list will include places to take white plastic bags, used oil, tires, light bulbs, and other things that can’t be recycled at the curb.
Absent from the meeting were Commissioners Debuck and Ahamiojie.