Coal tar can be injurious to health. Coal tar is also used to manufacture paints, synthetic dyes (notably tartrazine/Yellow #5), and photographic materials. In the coal gas era, there were many companies in Britain whose business was to distill coal tar to separate the higher-value fractions, such as naphtha, creosote and pitch. A great many industrial chemicals were first isolated from coal tar during this time. These companies included: Side effects of coal tar products include skin irritation, sun sensitivity, allergic reactions, and skin discoloration. It is unclear if use during pregnancy is safe for the baby and use during breastfeeding is
Tar "Burmese Oil" or "Burmese Naphtha", is also a form of petroleum. Oil Sands, almost exclusively produced in Alberta, Canada is colloquially referred to as "Tar Sands" however the oil sands is composed of bitumen. Note, similar heavy crude grades from Venezuela are not referred to as "Tar Sands" by Wikipedia or the environmental community. In Northern Europe, the word "tar" refers primarily to a substance that is derived from the wood and roots of pine. In earlier times it was often used as a water repellent coating for boats, ships, and roofs. It is still used as an additive in