Study sees parking lot dust(Coal Tar Sealant) as a cancer risk

[RamboLiberal]

Source: MSNBC

Chemicals in a cancer-causing substance used to seal pavement, parking lots and driveways across the U.S. are showing up at alarming levels in dust in homes, prompting concerns about the potential health effects of long-term exposure, a new study shows.

The substance is coal tar sealant, a waste product of steel manufacturing that is used to protect pavement and asphalt against cracking and water damage, and to impart a nice dark sheen. It is applied most heavily east of the Rockies but is used in all 50 states.

But scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey say the sealant — one of two types commonly used in the U.S. — doesn’t stay put. It slowly wears off and is tracked into homes on the shoes of residents.

The USGS study, which found high levels of chemicals used in the sealant in house dust, marks the first time researchers have raised alarms about potential health effects for humans — especially young children — from the parking-lot coatings.

Taken with previous studies indicating that the chemicals contaminate waterways, where they have been shown to harm insects and tadpoles, the finding raises serious questions about the advisability of using coal tar as a sealant, the scientists say.



Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34809699/ns/us_news-environment/

[cliffordu]

1. Fock me, d'ya think???

:rofl:

I wonder how much that study cost.

[Mithreal]

3. Why is studying what makes our air safer to breath funny?

[cliffordu]

5. Anything remotely related to coal tar, OR petroleum is carcinogenic and

bad for every living thing on the planet. Except cancer cells.

If they had looked upstream in the research they'd have known that, wouldn't they??

Apparently the brazillion studies proving this fact escaped the folks who studied this particular thing.

[WriteDown]

7. Mineral oil? Vaseline? nt

[Mithreal]

8. Gotcha. Science doesn't rely upon common sense though.

And it should never do so.

[lance_the_man]

27. Good question

Does it really matter how much it cost? The Department of the Interior only got around $1 billion in stimulus funds. We only payed for it.

[MessiahRp]

2. Maybe they can start making the coal tar sealant with some of those "Clean Coal" technologies

that Obama always talks about. :evilgrin:

[groundloop]

6. When has President Obama touted the mythical "clean coal"

Please enlighten us.

I don't recall ever hearing that. If he's "always" talking about it, as you suggest, seems like I would have.

[Mithreal]

9. You missed it somehow. I thought it was common knowledge during the campaign.

Obama Administration Pouring $1 Billion Into Clean Coal Project

http://www.usnews.com/news/energy/articles/2009/06/12/obama-administration-pouring-1-billion-into-clean-coal-project.html

Youtube or google Obama "clean coal". You'll be in for a surprise.

[MessiahRp]

14. Thank you... that was the same link I planned to reply with. :)

You beat me to it. :)

Rp

[Mithreal]

21. welcome : )

[WriteDown]

4. Easy solution...

Go back to dirt roads.

[CreekDog]

10. dust can be a public health issue as well

often worse in the short term.

[Captain Hilts]

11. Brake pad dust also. nt

[MidwestRick]

12. Hope nobody is using medicated shampoo

Coal tar is in most of them, and has been.

[jmowreader]

16. It's safe at 5 percent and below.

With carcinogens the amount you use is also important. If you smoke two packs of cigarettes your whole life, you won't get cancer from them. If you smoke two packs between breakfast and lunch...well, that's a different story.

[dugaresa]

19. Neutrogena Medicated Shampoo has Coal Tar listed as the Active ingredient

[elocs]

13. I wonder, how can we save ourselves from every possible cancer causing substance on earth?

:shrug:

[Mithreal]

18. Minimize risks and impacts, not necessarily eliminate. Should be a goal of science and medicine.

[MindPilot]

15. That's it then! Time to ban

cell phones from parking lots.

[NJCher]

17. leaf blowers kick up this dust

Around here (northeast) they use leaf blowers on a routine basis to clean asphalt parking lots and driveways. Imagine the harm this is doing the workers, too.


Cher

[dugaresa]

20. Having sealed our old driveway many times, I think the cheaper sealants are the worst

I remember using a sealant many years ago that literally dried and became dust. I should have just painted my driveway black with oil paint because it would have at least stuck.

The next year I put the most expensive sealant on the driveway and voila the problem was solved, that stuff worked just fine.

[lance_the_man]

22. Won't it be nice if you felt you were getting the facts

There are numerous and major inaccuracies with this story.

One claim is that the sealer is made from hazardous waste. If you know anything about EPA, they just don't allow you to throw anything down on a road, let alone hazardous waste.

I was surprised to see that MSNBC would even carry a story so blatantly one sided.

And the media outlets are wondering why they are losing money.....

Is it just me or am I asking too much?

[w4rma]

23. There is a lot of hazardous waste that is used in construction.

The problem is when, as in this case, the hazardous waste finds a way into the human body (through the air).

[lance_the_man]

25. What hazardous waste is used in construction

First, what makes you think that this is hazardous waste?

Second, you mentioned that hazardous waste is used in construction? Can you please give an example or two.

[scipan]

24. concrete vs. asphalt

Concrete lasts longer, reflects more, and has lower maintenance costs than asphalt. It's a 2-for-1: healthier and better for global climate change.

http://www.dailypress.net/page/content.detail/id/502588.html?nav=5003

[lance_the_man]

26. What??

How do you figure that concrete is better in terms of GHG? Making concrete is very energy intensive.