Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) is a monthly journal of peer-reviewed research and news on the impact of the environment on human health. EHP is published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and its content is free online. Print issues are available by paid subscription.DISCLAIMER
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has a partnership relationship with the asphalt paving and roofing industries and their associated unions. Our partners saw in the EHP Focus article "Paving Paradise: The Peril of Impervious Surfaces" (Frazer 2005) the statement on page A459: "Asphalt is one concern, as it contains coal tar pitch, a recognized human carcinogen . . . . " Our partners asked us if we could help them address this statement.
By definition, asphalt is a petroleum product and contains no coal tar. However, some pavement-repair products and sealants may contain coal tar. NIOSH did not find any evidence of coal tar in U.S. asphalt in our hazard review Health Effects of Occupational Exposure to Asphalt (NIOSH 2000.
The author declares he has no competing financial interests.
Paul A. Schulte
Education and Information Division
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Cincinnati, Ohio
E-mail: pas4@cdc.gov
References
Frazer L. 2005. Paving paradise: the peril of impervious surfaces. Environ Health Perspect 113: A457-A462.
NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health). 2000. Health Effects of Occupational Exposure to Asphalt. NIOSH Publication no. 2001-110). Available: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/pdfs/01-110.pdf [accessed 3 March 2006].
EHP regrets the incorrect and unintentional inference in "Paving Paradise: The Peril of Impervious Surfaces" [Environ Health Perspect 113:A456-A462 (2005)] that coal tar pitch is used in the actual hot-mix asphalt used to pave roads. Coal tar pitch is instead used in many sealcoat formulations used atop asphalt pavement. Findings published in the 1 August 2005 issue of Environmental Science & Technology suggest, in fact, that coal tar-based parking lot sealant may be a major contributor to stream loads of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, including many known carcinogens.
