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Students press council to ban coal‑tar sealants; industry warns of economic impact
Summary
Students from Centennial Lane Elementary and their teacher urged the council to ban coal‑tar pavement sealants, citing PAH pollution and health risks; pavement‑sealer manufacturers and contractors urged caution, saying many firms already use alternatives and warning a strict 0.1% PAH limit could eliminate some non‑coal alternatives.
A proposal to ban certain coal‑tar pavement sealants drew an unusual scene: a teacher and a group of elementary students presenting scientific slides to the Howard County Council, followed by testimony from local pavement‑sealer manufacturers.
Sponsor Councilman John Weinstein introduced Council Bill 60, saying he was moved by research and by a group of students who raised concerns about polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in coal‑tar sealants. Teacher Eric Pellegrino and a group of students described how PAHs in coal‑tar products can…
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