Road Dust Control

Archive for the ‘dust suppression’ Category

Paper shredding is growing into a big business. Recycling and the green movement certainly planted the seeds, but regulators have added the fertilizer. Industry-changing laws have been passed to govern document security in accounting, healthcare and banking, and shredders of many varieties are becoming the tools of those trades.

Five or six years ago Warde Comeaux knew only a few people who shredded documents for a living. Most businesses he knew relied on recyclers to get rid of their unwanted paper—including documents. With regulation proliferation, clients began coming to him for advice on getting into the document destruction business. Comeaux is principal of Fire Protection International Consortium, Inc., a consulting firm with locations in California and in Florida. The more entrepreneurs who build their companies around paper shredding, the greater the need for safety consciousness—paticularly fire safety.

Dust combusts

Many of these entrepreneurs may not know, or they may forget, that paper shredding produces dust, and dust is combustible. Fires are quite common in shredding operations, and Comeaux has investigated his share. Two were recent. One was a regular fire (they oiled the machinery too much), and the other was a dust conflagration.

Paper dust in a paper shredding operation can catch fire from a spark generated by metal entering the process. Paper clips, notebooks, and other metal parts can set off a dust explosion or ignite loose fibers of paper.

“Dust can build up in a cloud and if the cutters hit something and you get a spark you get a flash and a small fire,” Comeaux says. “If you don’t stop the machine and clean it of dust periodically, combustible dust can build up throughout the building. That can lead to a worse loss.”

A small fire can even travel from the shredder, up a conveyor and into a baler, and the fire could smolder inside that bale until it is delivered to the mill or recycling center.

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Tags: safety consciousness, loose fibers, consortium inc, radar screens, fertilizer industry

Encouraged by efforts from the West Indies Alumina Company (Windalco) to eliminate a dust nuisance from its red mud (waste disposal) lake at Battersea in Central Manchester, residents have reportedly suspended plans to sue.

“The objective was never about money, the aim always was to get the company to do the right things,” Battersea resident Mark Cameron told the Sunday Observer last week.

Cameron was one of the leading voices protesting the dust nuisance,

“The feeling now is that they (Windalco) are now on the right track though there is a lot more that needs to be done,” he added.

Cameron had said late last month that a member of his community was preparing to file a “class action” law suit against the bauxite/alumina company as a consequence of “the clouds of toxic dust” from the dry lake invading their homes and endangering health.

But over the last two weeks the waste disposal site — which over a period of months had become a dust bowl — has been flooded with water.

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Tags: dust monitors, red mud, oversight agency, dust nuisance, mark cameron

Two politicians have raised concerns about Penrice mine dust.

One has suggested a drastic remedy.

David Winderlich, independent member of the Legislative Council, called for the state government to ban Penrice from mining on hot and windy days.

Mr Winderlich and Ivan Venning – the Member for Schubert – have both highlighted Penrice dust as a health and environmental issue.

They believe Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) tests show the mine has produced dangerous levels of fine-particle dust – in breach of the National Environment Protection Monitoring standard.

The results were recorded by a ‘hotspot caravan’ that has been located near the mine for the past nine months.

Penrice Soda Holdings, the company that owns the Barossa mine, has rejected the figures.

Guy Roberts, Penrice managing director and chief executive officer, revealed the mine’s own EPA dust monitors had not recorded any dust emissions that breached standards.

“We deny these exeedences,” Mr Roberts said.

“The supposition is those results picked up by the hotspot caravan were due to outside mine factors.”

The ‘hotspot caravan’ monitoring station was put in place on March 31, for a period of 12 months.

Mr Venning said it was installed after appeals by nearby neighbours.

But he was worried the monitor did not meet national standards.

“The EPA is supposed to be the community’s watchdog authority with regard to environmental issues, but in this case it appears they have dropped the ball,” Mr Venning said.

“Is this body serious about enforcing environmental standards or are they merely a toothless tiger?”

Meanwhile, the mine has already committed to install a new dust suppressant system in coming months.

This will come at a cost of $200,000 and be located inside the mine’s aggregate crushing plant – one of the known sources of dust emissions.

This move follows trials of a water soluble, biodegradable foaming dust suppressant system.

However, Mr Venning urged the mine to do more.

He wants the crusher and conveyer belts enclosed, to help reduce dust emissions.

“No one including myself wants to see the mine closed,” Mr Venning said. “Everyone is aware of the employment the mine provides for locals and that the soda ash extracted from the mine is used to make glass bottles – in particular wine bottles.”

Mr Venning believes the mine can fit in with the community.

“But measures need to be taken to ensure this happens,” he said.

Tags: dust suppressant, environmental protection authority, dust emissions, toothless tiger, dust monitors

The anticipated $100 million it will cost each year to reduce coal dust on shipments of Wyoming coal out of the Powder River Basin is causing friction between the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. and some public utilities.

BNSF, as well as the Union Pacific Railroad, have spent hundreds of millions of dollars already to reduce coal dust since a 2005 derailment was blamed on coal dust accumulation on the tracks.

But industry officials say additional coal dust suppression measures may be required, costing millions more.

Possible solutions include covering cars, applying a latex coating, or filling cars with less coal.

American Public Power Association estimates whatever method is chosen will add $100 million annually to the cost of shipping coal out of the Powder River Basin.

Tags: powder river basin, burlington northern santa fe, burlington northern santa fe corp, union pacific railroad, burlington northern santa

Agriculture producers seeking to reduce PM10 (dust) and volatile organic compounds can apply for assistance from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

NRCS has $1.8 million in Arizona along with technical expertise available to farmers and ranchers to improve air quality.

Applications are taken on a continuous basis. Feb. 26 is the deadline to apply for the current funding.

Approved applicants will receive up to 75 percent of the project paid; up to 90 percent if the applicant is from a historically underserved group.

Seven counties are eligible in Arizona, areas identified as non-attainment areas by the Environmental Protection Agency. Farmers and ranchers in Cochise, Gila, Maricopa, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, and Yuma counties are eligible.

Conservation practices included in the program include: anaerobic digesters; feedlot and dairy dust control; tillage and harvest dust control; dirt road dust control; gravel pad track out systems; and grizzly track-out device systems.

Tags: road dust control, volatile organic compounds, natural resources conservation service, farmers and ranchers, underserved group

Floor Sweepers and Floor Scrubbers from Tennant Features Tennant sweepers provide excellent debris pick up and dust control. They deliver superior, long lasting results even in the harshest environments with continuous up time and powerful sweeping performance.

Tennant sweepers control dust particles down to 3 microns. Tennant’s latest innovation, SweepSmart™, filters dust particles down to 0.5 microns.

1. Side brush sweeps debris into the path of the main broom
2. Skirt system creates a seal to maximise dust collection
3. Main broom contacts floor surface and flicks dust and debris into the hopper
4. Perma-Filter™ shifts airflow and forces the majority of dust, debris and moisture into hopper
5. Cyclonic filter system channels airflow to further remove dust and moisture from the air, redirecting it into the hopper
6. Nanofibre canister filter traps sub-micron dust particles resulting in clean air exhaust
7. The ErgoSpace™ operator compartment increases operator comfort, visibility and safety

Applications for Tennant Sweepers.

The Tennant SweepSmart™ system, available on the new S30 ride-on sweeper, uses a 3-stage dust control system for unrivalled performance.

* The first stage Perma-Filter™ keeps large bulky debris in the hopper
* The second stage cyclonic filter redirects fine dust and moisture back into the hopper
* The third stage flame-retardant nanofibre canister filter, filters sub-micron dust particles down to 0.5 microns

Benefits of the Sweepers

* Easy to use and it is built to last
* Extremely flexible, designed to clean a variety of surfaces indoors and out, without compromising performance
* Offers unparalleled safety with reduced noise levels, better sightlines and easy operation as well as significantly improved air quality

Tennant Industrial Sweepers include:

* 110 Walk-Behind Sweepers
* S8 Walk-Behind Sweepers
* S10 Walk-Behind Sweepers
* 3640 Walk-Behind Sweepers
* S12 Small Ride On Sweepers
* 6100 Small Ride On Sweepers
* 6200 Small Ride On Sweepers

Tags: floor sweepers, dust particles, dust debris, tennant sweepers, industrial sweepers

Pressurised Water Fogging Nozzle

Processing of bulk solids inevitably leads to generation of fugitive dust on many sites. Often, it is not possible to contain dust at all stages of the process and dust emissions become inevitable. The Environment Agency is becoming increasingly strict on dust nuisance and will serve closure notices or award punitive damages to offenders.

Using The Renby Fogging System to suppress dust can avoid this. The systems can be fitted locally to the dust source, for instance, a transfer chute or as a general system to suppress dust in a warehouse for example. Specially designed nozzles produce atomised water to droplet sizes of a few microns. Dust adheres to these droplets and falls out of the air. The system is very economical to purchase and operate.

With low power consumption, fog is an essential and cost effective tool in the battle against dust pollution. Doing nothing is not an option and can lead to company closure.

Contact Renby now to find out more about fog and other dust control measures.

Tags: dust nuisance, water fogging, bulk solids, dust emissions, dust pollution