By Leah Zerbe, Rodalenews.com
Healthy home alert! To save money, protect your health, and help the environment, give these toxic tenants an eviction notice.
1. Coal Tar Driveway Sealant
If you plan to seal your blacktop driveway come spring, avoid coal
tar-based sealants. They contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or
PAHs, which studies suggest can be toxic, causing cancer or other
genetic mutations in your body. When rainwater and other precipitation
hit your driveway, the toxic chemicals run off into your yard and into
your local drinking water supply. In fact, this situation has been
compared to dumping quarts of motor oil right down a storm drain.
Better alternative: Gravel and other porous materials are best for
driveways because they allow rainwater to sink into the ground, where it
gets filtered and doesn't inundate water treatment plants. But if you
do seal blacktop, pick asphalt sealant and stay away from any product
that has coal tar in its name (or products simply called "driveway
sealant"). Lowe's and Home Depot have already banned the bad stuff, but
smaller hardware stores may still carry it.
Read more: http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/12-household-toxins-banish-home-164100342.html
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