Diana Carpinone

Driveway sealant is marketed by the industry that sells it as a necessary treatment to extend the life of pavement. This is false! You can verify this for yourself by looking around any neighborhood and seeing the tire marks where the sealant has worn away on the driveways. If it cannot withstand rubber tires, it is certainly not "weather-proofing" the surface either. This is a primarily COSMETIC application to make driveways look newly paved again. Unsealed driveways last 15-20 years when properly installed and maintained, and they age more evenly over time and look better than sealed. Using sealant means that after a few seasons the driveway looks patchy and encourages more sealant to be applied to refresh the look. This makes money for the sealant companies, but harms everyone else. The high PAH content of these sealants: raise the cancer risk of people who don't even choose to use them, pollute our watersheds, and waste consumer dollars. This bill is a no-brainer. I urge you to SUPPORT HB1614 for the health of NH.