Road Dust Control

Archive for the ‘fugitive dust’ Category

The recent Desert Sun editorial addressing problems of the Salton Sea was very important. We must be informed because it could affect us all.

Remember, if no plan gets approved, the biggest problem is doing nothing. Although the sea lies 10 to 20 miles away from our cities, it is ultra serious. It could affect our health, our livability and our tourist industry, which has economic disaster proportions.

Much of the support to date has been on environmental grounds as an important bird wetlands. Absolutely true. But overlooked is the potential multifaceted damage in the cities of the Coachella Valley, almost a half-million residents.

When I produced “Community Dialogue” on local television, I did research for eight Salton Sea programs and a glaring point was the devastation if we let it dry up.

I interviewed three executive directors of the Salton Sea Authority plus the late Roy Wilson, then Riverside County supervisor, and Andy Horne, Imperial County supervisor. Tom Kirk, executive director of the Coachella Valley Association of Governments, and Rick Daniels, city manager of Desert Hot Springs, had good ideas when each of them was directing the Salton Sea Authority.
State takes over, drops the ball

Then the state came in and took it out of local hands and did nothing. Now it’s now playing second fiddle to the Sacramento Delta, nearer and dearer to Northern California voters.

We all need a heads-up on this because eventually some entities may have to pay far more than they can handle out of emergency necessity.

Look at this: According to Ted Schade, air pollution control officer at Owens Valley, the Salton Sea problem resembles Owens Valley when its water supply was diverted by the Los Angeles water system. It became a dust bowl with the dangerous particle, PM10, reaching many miles. The Coachella Valley already has a PM10 problem that affects asthmatics. With our swirling winds, the Salton Sea potentially has a larger area of exposure than Owens Valley.

Los Angeles Water & Power spent $400 million constructing dust-control measures at Owens Lake. It costs $40 million per year to sustain it. That’s heavy.

Odor could chase away tourists

There’s more! Drying up could take years but look what can happen in the process. The terrible odor we get occasionally in summer could become much more frequent as more fish keep dying with less water to sustain them. That’s unthinkable. Not only would it make our lives horrendous but we could say farewell to tourists and hello to red ink, especially Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells, Palm Desert and Palm Springs, where the tourist occupancy tax and sales tax revenue are major income sources.

Drying up is not as rapid as it could be due to agricultural runoff. But, San Diego is trying to cure its water problems by buying water rights of large growers in the Imperial Valley. Danger. Less agriculture lowers the runoff substantially and speeds up the dust bowl process.

The water districts and the supervisors have been fighting the fight. They should enlist the cities to join in because only intense pressure on the Legislature can make things happen. Our legislators need all the help they can get. The more voices the better.

The counties and the cities would certainly not be able to pay the bill if this calamity occurs. It’s time to get involved.

In lots of places all over the world, mining companies really need to be to blame for their fugitive dust emissions. A variety of problems will come to pass when dust control guide lines aren't followed. Simple procedures could be put in place to help care for the surroundings also people that work on and dwell in the vicinity of the mines. 

While taking into account mining processes, we all know that air is usually affected by dust particles as well as chemical emissions. Gold Mining generates lots of pollutants that might be released into the environment. Dust particles from long-term storage will be forced into the air as a result of high winds, wearing away of open hillsides, mine dumps in addition to tailings dams, will result in contamination of drainages, creeks along with rivers.

Within regions of rough country mining, similar to Alaska, there can be habitat destruction along with destruction or disturbance of ecosystems, that in-turn disturb life in the area. Mining might churn out more than a few forms of pollution, like dust pollution plus diesel emissions. Other toxin prone to be noticed is airborne lead, mercury plus methane from coal bed extractions along with road dust.

All mining, along with granite processing, emits extensive quantities of airborne dirt and dust. Fugitive dust is particulate matter which is carried upward into the air by wind. Dust sources from mines occur from sources like exposed pits, ore and waste piles along with concentrated storage regions, ore crushing, uncovered ore trucks and the incomplete control of dirt road dust

These sources could cause impacts to the quality of air itself which can impact persons living in close proximity to the mine, workers and wildlife. Furthermore when the dirt particles settle, soils, along with plant life, can be impacted. That's especially of trouble if dust includes high levels of metals.

The Center for Disease Control has developed a file that provides operators, of exposed mines, a ventilation preparation tool that may help them develop a better, safer, and much more proficient ventilation system within a workplace.

Beneficial dust control  methods could be:

    * Watering haulage roads/piles
    * Application of dust particles suppressants
    * Cover up trucks   
    * Paving roads
    * Control systems – scrubbers, filters
    * Reclaim/revegetate
    * Dust might be prevented or terminated by using suppressants.
    * Ore crushing regions may be enclosed.

Other solutions to reduce emissions are through alternate energy sources (wind, solar), clean energy sources plus using emission handling equipment like scrubbers, filters, adsorption units. Discharge control equipment may be put on the top of the tube/stack to scale back emissions and these are usually effective in lowering emissions that effect communities.

Mining procedures are related to a range of health hazards, and these have grave effects on the welfare of ladies and children ranging from pollution in the air and water as well as noise pollution.

Nursing moms as well as their children bear a risk of poisoning. According to health professionals, mercury poisoning might lead to birth defects, as soon as it enters the placenta and can lead to mortality.

The air pollution in mining locations, ensuing from the giving off of substances like nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxides as well as other atmospheric dust particles, will cause upper respiratory tract Infections. The high silica -content rocks however, generate a large amount of dust in the course of action and continuous subjection near this dust, in accordance to health specialists, will cause silicosis in addition to silico-tuberculosis.

Studies performed in locations of coal mining, were predominantly concerned with respiratory health issues induced by air pollution from mining actions. An evaluation was performed of long-term effects of subjection near air pollutants in school kids. The incidence of pulmonary along with ear, nostril plus throat signs and symptoms was elevated in the polluted communities, yet a statistically significant difference was barely observed for the problem “wheezing in the chest”.

Soils Control International reports within the tradition of dust Suppression with regards to road dust plus Soil Stabilization Brazil

Mesa County and the city of Grand Junction are collaborating with state health officials to monitor and control dust that can whip up blinding storms in the spring and pose an unhealthy nuisance for residents.

County commissioners adopted an agreement Monday with the city and the state’s Air Quality Control Division that officials say should help protect the public and reduce the chances that the Grand Valley violates federal air-quality standards when it comes to dust pollution.

Local and state officials are trying to address elevated air dust levels in the valley that exceed the federal particulate matter standard known as PM10, as well as determine whether increased levels are created here or outside the area.

The federal government allows Mesa County to exceed the PM10 standard three times in a three-year period. If the standard is exceeded a fourth time, the state and local governments have to develop a plan to bring the valley’s air quality back into compliance.

Mike Brygger, county air quality specialist, said the county exceeded the PM10 standard three times in 2005 but not once since.

“We haven’t exceeded that standard in the last couple of years, but there’s always the potential to have a bad year,” he said.

Local officials aren’t just watching for elevated levels of dust. They’re also looking to see where the dust comes from.

That’s important because if air monitors register particulate sizes that violate federal standards, but those particulates came from a dust storm that blew in from outside the valley, local officials can claim the elevated levels were beyond their control. They can then petition the Environmental Protection Agency to remove the incident from a federal database and not have it count as a strike against the county.

For example, Brygger said, two of the PM10 standard violations in 2005 were the result of regional, not local, dust.

The agreement between the state, county and city reinforces dust-control measures already in place.

For the first time, it also brings in another agency to notify the public when high levels of dust are in the air.

Beginning this spring, the National Weather Service will issue blowing dust and public health advisories as necessary, advising elderly and citizens with breathing problems to stay indoors and people in general not to exercise outside.

The agreement also requires the city and county to review the effectiveness of their dust-control measures and implement any necessary modifications every two years.

Fugitive dust is a specific problem that is created by people when interacting with their natural environment. This is not a manmade pollutant. This dust is not emitted from any chimney, smoke stack or vent. Instead, this is a small solid or liquid particle that arises from the soil every time a person, animal, wind or object passes over it and disturbs it. A good example of this is a sand storm.

Fugitive dust is a persistent challenge in the dry areas of the western part of the US. This issue develops wherever long dry conditions exist and the moisture has dried from the top soil.

This has become an area of concern for those who suffer from respiratory problems. The size of the average dust particle is 10 micrometers or less. This small size particle can remain airborne for days or even weeks, depending on the wind conditions. Because of the particle’s small size, it has the ability of entering the respiratory system of people. This is the reason for concern. This small, but hard particle can damage the lungs and cause long term respiratory problems.

Read the rest of this entry »

As scores of officials are attempting to live longer than the central bank induced fiscal calamity, services for those communities are on the chopping block.  Many times we take for granted the services that our monies deliver, and whether or not you understand it, all those income taxes that you pay are not going to these services. Those taxes set out to the secret banks that hold the Federal Reserve central bank. The taxes that are utilized to uphold our state, county or city, are derivative from taxes that we pay whilst going about our daily lives.

An example would be the gas tax supplementary to each gallon of gas we buy. That capital is utilized to keep the roads. When citizens travel less, the profits from gas taxes begin to turn down drastically. At some point we begin to have diminishing income. Such is the case when the powers that be resolve that Soil Stabilization on our roads must be cut. Substandard roads less travel – less travel less gas tax

The moment we take a dollar from a civilian that's useful and waste it on a non useful incident, that dollar is consumed forever. If we make use of that dollar for a industrious event the dollar stays in the system to provide further taxes into the system yet again.

Read the rest of this entry »

Capital services and staff are being hacked back by assembly in order to achieve a 2.7 % tax increase for Salmon Arm people.

Facing a tax upsurge in the new year of virtually five %, Salmon Arm ruling body handed the 2010 municipality plan back to staff to locate added areas to cut. The resultant plan, talked about last Wednesday at a special committee gathering, includes a staffing slash of $151,590.

City manager Carl Bannister translates this into a cutback in city staff.

Other than a reduction in staffing, town inhabitants may expect to get a reduction in road services, as assembly arranged to take away the following from the plan: $50,000 from the dust abatement plan, reducing applications from two to one; and $43,700 or one-third of the resources for asphalt repair. Additionally, committee cut $6,000 for re-surfacing fire hall number one, and $3,000 for the city’s Japanese exchange plan. Additional slashes suggested by employees included $32,000 for the spring wood-chipping plan, Employees also suggested closing the SASCU Amusement Centre pool on Sundays in May and June, while the facility is least utilized, for a cutback of $3,000.

http://www.bclocalnews.com/bc_thompson_nicola/salmonarmobserver/news/79963482.html

AIR interchange specialist Fanquip has pooled its numerous technologies along with expertise to meet the requirement for niche sized permanent and relocatable dust control processes for the erection segment. These products are suited to companies involved in cement works and related goods like sand as well as limestone which can effortlessly become airborne also potentially affect not just human resources but nearby neighborhoods also.

Fanquip recently designed as well as manufactured for a user in the construction industry a method to capture concrete powder that fell from tipper trucks working over hoppers and stockpiles. There was concrete powder escaping everywhere, yet with a procedure about a chute the Fanquip dust collection method nowadays catches it.

Fanquip is combining its fan technologies, to offer dust containment units for rapid deployment and re-use when required. Capable to handle a wide range of dust particle sizes from large and coarse right down to fines and cinder, the choice of any permanent units or relocatable units that are cost-effective and exact ensures that general dust control, as a necessary safety method, is now effortlessly inexpensive for companies of all sizes.

The dust from a mine is significantly different from the dust you find in your home. Dust in your home primarily consists of dead skin while mine dust is almost exclusively a mineral in a fine powder form.

Most written definitions of mine dust include the following: dust from drilling, blasting, smashing or handling of rock. The majority of the dust created by one of these activities are too large to stay in the air for an extended period of time and account for about 40 percent of all dust created at a mine site. The remainder is less than 10 micrometers in size. The majority of these particles is less than 2.5 micrometers and come from the exhaust of equipment used on the mining site.

The smallest size particle is what is most hazardous to the population’s health. The larger dust particles are an eye sore and are cost a lot to clean up, but are less hazardous to one’s health.

The smaller particles do make certain health hazards that include respiratory problems due to the fact that they are in the air that is breathed in to the lungs. This can be minimized if mining personnel were to wear masks designed to filter out the dust.

Read the rest of this entry »

Haul Road Dust Control is a vital element to the efficient operation of a mining business. Not just with regards to safety but also to the workers health.  Surface mining operations employ huge off-road haul trucks extensively to move material at mining properties. Past research, using the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) emissions factors for unpaved haul roads, has exposed that haul trucks produce the bulk of dust emissions from surface mining sites, accounting for just about 78%-97% of total dust emissions. This is yet greater with low quality haul road dust control programs.

Observations of dust emissions from haul trucks prove that if the dust emissions are uncontrolled, they can become a safety risk by means of impairing the operator’s visibility. This increases the chance for haul truck accidents. However, the greatest long-term health danger of dust generated from hauling operations is due to inhalation of the respirable dust middle diameter <4 micrometers (?m) along with thoracic dust, which is comparable to the EPA’s characterization of PM10 particulate matter with a median diameter <10 ?m. Exposure to respirable dust has always been thought a health hazard at surface mining operations, in particular if silica dust is there.

Read the rest of this entry »

U.S. Department of Labor
Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA)

Respirable coal mine dust can cause lung diseases such as coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP), emphysema, silicosis, and bronchitis—known collectively as black lung. Black lung can lead to lung impairment, permanent disability, and even death. While there is no cure for black lung, there are important and potentially life-saving measures that MSHA requires to be undertaken to reduce exposure to respirable coal mine dust and prevent disease. Even though these measures have been required for many years, new cases of black lung disease continue to occur among the nation’s coal miners, even in younger miners.

Recently, MSHA conducted a targeted enforcement initiative that focused on miners’ exposures to respirable coal mine dust at selected underground coal mines. As a result of the lessons MSHA learned during this initiative, the agency requests that underground coal mine operators conduct audits of their respirable dust monitoring and control programs and address any deficiencies.

Dust sampling programs did not adequately address proper maintenance of sampling equipment or ensure that samples are collected at the required times (either on shifts or days).

Many mining operations implement a haul road dust control program in order to decrease the level of fugitive dust in the work area. 

Full story here