RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — A bill to ban certain pavement sealants containing cancer-linked chemicals was passed by lawmakers in the Virginia House of Delegates and has now been referred to a Senate committee.
The measure, submitted by chief patron Del. Kathy K.L. Tran (D-18), was approved by the Virginia House of Delegates in a 78 to 21 vote on Tuesday, Feb. 13. It has now been referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources.
“House Bill 985 addresses toxic products that are used to seal and extend the life of asphalt driveways in our homes and neighborhoods,” Tran said during a House subcommittee meeting in January. “These sealants put our children’s lives at risk and pollute our waterways.”
Were the bill to become law, it would prohibit the sale and distribution of any pavement sealant which contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations greater than 1% by weight. It would also ban the application of such sealants with a $250 civil penalty to be paid in the event of the law being violated.
“[PAHs] are known to be a carcinogen and sealants with high PAH levels have prominent public health implications, particularly for kids,” Tran said. “Dust and particles from high PAH sealants can become airborne and inhaled, washed into stormwater or enter the body through house dust … According to the United States Geological Survey, people who live nearby parking lots with these sealants have been shown to have 38 times greater likelihood of developing cancer some time in their lives.”
