Senators seek investigation of driveway sealers

Two senators are asking EPA to determine whether the agency should regulate coal-tar-based sealants for asphalt pavement. The sealants, used to impart shiny black surface finishes on parking lots and driveways, often contain high levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). These hydrocarbons can be toxic to aquatic life, and some PAHs may reasonably be expected to be carcinogens. PAHs are being found in elevated concentrations in urban water bodies. Sens. James M. Jeffords (I-Vt.) and John W. Warner (R-Va.) on Sept. 6 asked EPA to determine whether the coal-tar-based sealants should be regulated under the Resource Conservation & Recovery Act. Jeffords is the ranking minority member of the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee, and Warner may become the top Republican on the panel in 2007. They urged EPA to conduct a national study on how coal-tar-based sealants increase PAHs in water bodies and how the chemicals affect human health and the environment.