Is Coal Tar Being Phased Out? Coal Tar Coating Regulations and Coal-Tar-Free Alternatives

If you've searched for coal tar epoxy lately you've probably seen claims that it's banned in the United States. That's not accurate. Coal tar epoxies and mastics like Carboline's Bitumastic 300M and Bitumastic 50 are still manufactured, sold, and specified for industrial use in the US. What is true is that coal tar is under increasing regulatory and specification pressure, and facility owners should understand why before they choose a system that has to last twenty years.

Why Coal Tar Is Under Scrutiny

Coal tar is rich in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Several PAHs are carcinogenic, and coal tar pitch is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as a Group 1 known human carcinogen. The concern falls into two buckets:

• Worker exposure: vapor, mist, and skin contact during application and surface prep, especially when blasting off old coal tar coatings.
• Environmental release: PAHs wearing off coated surfaces and washing into soil and waterways.

What the “Coal Tar Bans” Actually Cover

Most of the bans in the news are about coal tar pavement sealants, the black sealcoat sprayed on parking lots and driveways. Studies linked worn-off sealcoat to high PAH levels in stormwater and household dust, and states started acting:

• Washington and Minnesota were early adopters of statewide bans.
• New York ended sales in November 2022 and application in November 2023.
• Maryland's ban took effect in October 2023.
• Maine's ban took effect in October 2024.
• Virginia banned retail sale in July 2024 and application in July 2025.
• Canada prohibited the manufacture and import of coal tar sealants as of January 1, 2025, with sales prohibited after June 30, 2025.

Pennsylvania and other states have proposed similar legislation, and many cities and counties have their own local bans.

These laws target pavement sealants. They do not ban industrial coal tar epoxy on tanks, pipe, or piling. But they show which way things are moving, and the same PAH concerns are why many owners are removing coal tar from their industrial specs.

“Coal tar epoxy isn't banned for industrial use. But if your owner's spec book was updated in the last few years, there's a good chance it's already excluded.”

OSHA Rules That Apply Today

Where coal tar coatings are used, OSHA sets a permissible exposure limit for coal tar pitch volatiles of 0.2 mg/m³ as an 8-hour time-weighted average (benzene-soluble fraction). In practice, that means:

• Respiratory protection matched to the exposure: supplied air in tanks and confined spaces, approved respirators elsewhere.
• Full skin coverage. Coal tar can cause skin irritation and photosensitivity, where exposed skin burns easily in sunlight.
• Forced ventilation in enclosed areas. Both Bitumastic products are solvent-borne with flash points around 75–80°F.
• Exposure monitoring, hazard communication, and a written respiratory protection program.

Removing old coal tar coatings raises the same issues, plus the dust. Abrasive blasting coal tar off steel generates PAH-laden dust, often alongside respirable silica depending on the abrasive. See our post on OSHA silica compliance for abrasive blasting.

Why Specs Are Dropping Coal Tar

• AWWA C210 changed. Its first edition was written specifically for coal tar epoxy. Current editions cover liquid epoxy coatings in general, and coal tar is not used for potable water at all.
• Owner EHS policies. Many large manufacturers and municipalities now screen out carcinogen-containing products wherever an alternative exists.
• Future liability. A coal tar coating applied today will eventually have to be removed. Owners are thinking about that cost now.
• Appearance and topcoating. Coal tar chalks and browns in sunlight and can't be reliably topcoated. Carboline lists topcoats as not recommended for 300M.

Coal-Tar-Free Alternatives

The good news is that modern epoxies can match or beat coal tar in most of the places it's used:

• High-build coal-tar-free epoxies (often marketed as “coal tar epoxy replacements” or hydrocarbon-modified epoxies). These are formulated to behave like coal tar epoxy: high build, low permeability, tolerant application, and compatible with cathodic protection, without the PAHs. Examples include products like Protal 650 CTR, and most major coating manufacturers offer their own.
• 100% solids epoxies for immersion and wastewater, often applied with plural component equipment. Very high build, no solvent.
• Novolac epoxies for hot or chemically aggressive service. See Novolac Epoxy Tank Lining.
• Spray polyurea for containment and areas that need flexibility and fast return to service. See Spray Polyurea Secondary Containment.
• Asphalt-based (non-coal-tar) damp-proofing for below-grade foundation walls.
• Epoxy and urethane systems for exposed steel where appearance matters. See Specialty Coatings: Epoxy, Urethane and Zinc, and consider low-VOC and PFAS-free coatings if the owner has a sustainability policy.

What We Recommend

For new work, ask first whether the owner or spec allows coal tar. If it does, and the service is buried or submerged at normal temperature, coal tar epoxy is still a proven, economical system. Apply it by the book (see How to Apply Bitumastic) with proper worker protection.

If the spec excludes coal tar, or you'd rather not have it on your site, a coal-tar-free high-build epoxy will do the same job in most applications. On maintenance work over existing coal tar, get the old coating identified before you pick a new one. Most new coatings won't bond to aged coal tar without full removal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is coal tar epoxy banned in the United States?

No. Industrial coal tar epoxies and mastics are still manufactured, sold, and specified in the US. The state bans in the news mostly cover coal tar pavement sealants, not industrial coatings.

Which states have banned coal tar sealants?

Statewide bans on coal tar pavement sealants include Washington, Minnesota, New York, Maryland, Maine, and Virginia. Canada also prohibited coal tar sealants starting in 2025.

Why is coal tar considered hazardous?

Coal tar contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), several of which are carcinogenic. IARC classifies coal tar pitch as a Group 1 known human carcinogen.

What is the OSHA exposure limit for coal tar?

OSHA's permissible exposure limit for coal tar pitch volatiles is 0.2 mg/m³ as an 8-hour time-weighted average (benzene-soluble fraction).

What can replace coal tar epoxy?

Common replacements include high-build coal-tar-free epoxies (coal tar epoxy replacements), 100% solids epoxies, novolac epoxies for aggressive service, spray polyurea, and asphalt-based damp-proofing for foundations.