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AMA Calls For Ban on the use of Coal-Tar-Based Sealcoats

Lydia Wheeler with The Hill reported that the American Medical Association (AMA) has adopted a new policy to reduce the use of pavement seal coats containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). The AMA is calling for legislation banning the use of coal-tar-sealcoats on pavement and playgrounds across the country.

The AMA says that exposure to PAH increases risk of cancer by 38 percent in those who have experienced lifelong exposure. "Whether they are sending their children to a playground or repairing a driveway, Americans are potentially being exposed to harmful carcinogens in coal-tar-based sealcoats," Albert Osbahr III, an AMA Board Member, said in a statement.

Washington, Minnesota, and Washington, D.C. have banned the sale of these products.


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