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MinnPost - White Bear Lake is first in state to ban coal -tar driveway sealant ost r o A THOUGHTFUL APPROACH TO! NEWS. White Bear Lake is first in state to ban coal -tar driveway sealant By Joe Kimball I Published Thu, May 6 2010 9.49 am The White Bear Lake City Council has banned the use and sate of coal - tar -based driveway sealant because it contains a cancer - causing material and has been found in stormwater pond sediment. The White Bear Press says the ban is the first in the state and the fourth in the nation. City residents can still use asphalt emulsion -based sealant on their driveways, the paper said: "Ws simple. Coal tar has PAHs," said Councilman Dan Jones. "PAH is not a good thing. This is a preventative measure. There is an alternative product. Asphalt emulsion will be better for our stormwater ponds." A 2008 study showed hazardous PAH compounds in five of the seven city stormwater retention ponds. The presence of the hazardous material can dramatically increase sediment disposal costs after pond cleaning, said City Manager Mark Sather. Coal tar sealants are not the only source of pond sediment PAH, but it is a source the city can control, he said. Company's that pave driveways don't like the move, the paper said: Pavement Coatings Technology Council Executive Director Anne LeHuray said there are multiple sources of PAH in stormwater runoff, including motor oil and gasoline. "When you're not the dominant source, you're not going to have much impact," she said. "We think its a misdirection of resources to look for a magic bullet." LeHuray said she feared other communities would follow White Bear Lake and institute similar bans without thorough research. Steve Tjornhom, of TruSeal America, an Eagan -based driveway sealing company, said coal tar sealers last longer and provide better protection than substitute asphalt emulsion sealers. He said banning coal tar sealers will create more problems for driveway owners and could lead to more polluted runoff through more sealant applications. "It makes no sense to me," he said. Like what you just read? Support high - quality jourualisin in Minnesota by becoming a member of MinnPost. Page 1 of 2 littp:// www .minnpost.com /politicalagenda /20 1 0 /0 5/06 /1 79 5 7 /white bear lake is first in state to ban co... 7/6/2011 11