Columbia Bans High PAH Pavement Products

On June 20th Columbia City Council voted to ban the use of high PAH pavement products (aka coal-tar-based sealants) in the City. The ordinance will take effect July 1, 2023.

Coal tar based sealants contain pollutants including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), that are toxic to aquatic life and can be harmful to human health. There is no reason we should allow these harmful pollutants to be regularly washed into our local waterways. Congaree Riverkeeper began working with the Mayor and council members on the effort to ban coal-tar-based sealants last year and we are very pleased to see the ordinance passed. This is an important step by the City of Columbia to protect our water resources, and hopefully an inspiration for other local governments to do the same.



The USGS has conducted several studies on the impacts of coal-tar-based sealants on human health and aquatic life. You can find those studies and additional information here.