Wednesday, March 10th, 2010
Mark Sierra asked:
For unpaved road dust control there are a variety of solutions, but are they necessary? According to the Environmental Protection Agency, unpaved roads are the biggest contributor to particulate air pollution in America. The amount of dust that is produced by unpaved roads is five times greater than two other contributors: construction activities and wind erosion.. Not only is dust from these roads a nuisance, but they have been cited in many cases of respiratory illness for humans that live near these conditions.
The state of Iowa conducted a study to see exactly how much an unpaved road and associated traffic would cause particulate air pollution. The results were amazing. They showed that for every vehicle that travels over an unpaved road for one mile, one ton of dust is made annually. This is interpreted as for every 500 vehicles that travel over 100 miles of these roads that 50,000 tons of dust is thrown up into the surrounding air annually. This also means that for every mile of unpaved road, that a ton of material from that road is removed every year for every vehicle that travels on it. Without the help of wind, this nuisance dust can travel up to 500 feet from the road into the air. Not only is this problematic for residents near a busy unpaved road, but this dust also inhibits the growth of plant life. For these reasons the need for road dust control is real.
There are many products available for help with unpaved road dust control, but they are all temporary solutions. In time, these products will need to be reapplied to the area. But with each application, approximately 25 percent to 75 percent of the dust is reduced.
Speed of the vehicle is another important variable in controlling road dust. Control of the speed limits is in the hands of the politicians who should be made aware of the hazards and dangers involved.
Wood Fireplace Inserts
For unpaved road dust control there are a variety of solutions, but are they necessary? According to the Environmental Protection Agency, unpaved roads are the biggest contributor to particulate air pollution in America. The amount of dust that is produced by unpaved roads is five times greater than two other contributors: construction activities and wind erosion.. Not only is dust from these roads a nuisance, but they have been cited in many cases of respiratory illness for humans that live near these conditions.
The state of Iowa conducted a study to see exactly how much an unpaved road and associated traffic would cause particulate air pollution. The results were amazing. They showed that for every vehicle that travels over an unpaved road for one mile, one ton of dust is made annually. This is interpreted as for every 500 vehicles that travel over 100 miles of these roads that 50,000 tons of dust is thrown up into the surrounding air annually. This also means that for every mile of unpaved road, that a ton of material from that road is removed every year for every vehicle that travels on it. Without the help of wind, this nuisance dust can travel up to 500 feet from the road into the air. Not only is this problematic for residents near a busy unpaved road, but this dust also inhibits the growth of plant life. For these reasons the need for road dust control is real.
There are many products available for help with unpaved road dust control, but they are all temporary solutions. In time, these products will need to be reapplied to the area. But with each application, approximately 25 percent to 75 percent of the dust is reduced.
Speed of the vehicle is another important variable in controlling road dust. Control of the speed limits is in the hands of the politicians who should be made aware of the hazards and dangers involved.
Wood Fireplace Inserts
