Coal Based Sealants Protect and Threaten Mount Lake...

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 20:59:05 -0500

Coal Based Sealants Protect and Threaten

Mount Lake Terrace—Researcher Peter Van Metre can’t seem to help himself. Whenever he enters a parking lot he looks for the tell tale sign of a toxin. The U.S. Geological Survey Scientist has spent decades studying polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). He has found the mother lode in coal tar-based sealants used in many parking lots.

“So the the coal tar products have about ten percent PAHs by weight and this is something we measure in the environment in parts per million so 10% a big number,” Said Van Metre.

He said that far outweighs the most wanted list for PAH sources including car exhaust, charcoal and the long time PAH boogeyman, used motor oil.

“Used motor oil has about one-200th of the concentration of PAHs as the coal tar seal coat products do,” said Van Metre.

Van Metre and his team found elevated levels of PAHs in lakes all over the country including Lake Ballinger in Mount Lake Terrace. They traced most of the sources to nearby parking lots treated with coal tar based sealants. He shared the results of the study with a Washington State Legislative panel considering a bill to ban those sealants. Other city and state governments are also considering it. Most companies and suppliers in this area say they have already stopped using it and have found alternative, asphalt based products that are comparable in performance and price with a fraction of the toxins.

http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=2651

Diesel fuel in sunken boat 'Vicious Fisher' poses threat to Wash. coast

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 22:59:44 -0500

A Bellingham fishing boat sank off Washington’s coast Thursday and all five crew members were rescued safely.

But now the Coast Guard is now focusing on a possible environmental threat from the Vicious Fisher.

The 80-foot fishing boat has an estimated 3,800 gallons of diesel fuel in its tanks.

It is currently in deep, 300-foot water,13 miles off La Push. That puts it right in the middle of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary.

If the boat leaks, the Sanctuary’s thousands of diverse seabirds, fish and animals could be affected.

So far, there are no signs of a leak but clean up teams have deployed their equipment and are prepared to respond at the first sign of trouble.

The Vicious Fisher has an interesting past. In 2008, a young crew member went overboard and was lost at sea. In 2010, the boat’s crew was credited for saving crew members from another fishing boat in trouble off Neah Bay.

There is no indication yet what went wrong yesterday. The Coast Guard said it got a distress call that the Bellingham-based boat was taking on water in 8-foot seas. Nobody was injured in the rescue.

Environment Northwest

Coal Based Sealants Protect and Threaten Mount Lake...

Diesel fuel in sunken boat 'Vicious Fisher' poses threat to Wash. coast