The product gradually wears off and breaks down into particles that are washed off by rain into streams, blown elsewhere by wind or tracked into homes on the soles of shoes. Major retailers such as Home Depot, Lowe's, Ace and United Hardware have stopped selling coal tar sealants. He's turning to the alternative: asphalt-based products that he says are improving, cost about the same and contain much lower levels of worrisome chemicals. His seal-coating company, which has franchises in 13 states, is phasing out its use of them. "We're at a tipping point" in the movement against coal tar sealants, says Nick Kelso, owner of Minnesota-based Jet-Black International. Others, in six additional states, have restricted use. Officials are acting to limit the cost of removing and disposing of contaminated sediment in waterways.They've passed bans in recent years in dozens of cities and counties in Minnesota, Washington, D.C., Illinois, Texas, New York, Maryland and Washington state. Last week in Chicago, the city's Committee on Finance held a meeting to discuss a newly proposed ban on the sale or use of these sealants. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, reintroduced such legislation in the U.S. Last month, Minnesota became the second state - after Washington - to ban pavement sealants that contain coal tar, and the New York Assembly passed a similar bill. These sealants, used mostly in the eastern half of the USA to beautify pavement and extend its life, contain up to 35% coal tar pitch, which the National Toxicology Program considers a human carcinogen. It's prompting more cities, states and businesses to ban a common pavement sealant linked to higher cancer risks and contaminated soil.
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