v>EPA
                       United States
                       Environmental Protection
                       Agency
                       Off ice of Water
                       Washington, D.C.
EPA 832-F-99-003
September 1999
Storm  Water
Management  Fact Sheet
Dust Control
DESCRIPTION

Dust controls reduce the surface and air transport of
dust, thereby preventing pollutants from infiltrating
into storm water.  Control measures are  often
instituted in industrial areas or in areas where land
is being disturbed.

Dust control for industrial  activities normally
involves mechanical systems designed to reduce
dust emissions from in-plant processing activities
and/or materials handling.  These may  include
hoods,  cyclone  collectors,  bag-type  collectors,
filters, negative pressure systems, or mechanical
sweepers.

Dust control measures  for construction activities
include  windbreaks,  minimization   of  soil
disturbance, spray-on adhesives, tillage, chemical
treatment, and water spraying.

While there are a number of temporary alternatives
for dust control, one option is to  permanently
modify the site to eliminate  dust generation.
Modifications  could include such measures as
covering exposed areas with vegetation, stone, or
concrete.

APPLICABILITY

Dust control measures may be applied to any site.
However, application of dust controls is especially
critical in arid  areas, where exposed soil  is more
likely to be transported into receiving water bodies
through  runoff or  wind action.  Dust  control
measures should also be applied to any industrial
activity that generates  large quantities of dust,
                     particularly if this dust could be transported to a
                     nearby water body.

                     ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

                     There are several advantages to using dust control
                     measures.

                     •     Dust control reduces the surface and air
                           transport of  dust,   which  minimizes
                           pollutants from infiltrating into the storm
                           water.

                           Dust control methods are widely applicable.

                           Most dust control methods are inexpensive,
                           non-intrusive, and promote natural growth.

                     •     The majority of dust control methods are
                           easy to install and maintain.

                     Some disadvantages to dust control may include the
                     following.

                     •     Some temporary  dust  controls must be
                           reapplied or replenished on a regular basis.

                           Some controls are expensive (e.g., chemical
                           treatment), may be ineffective under certain
                           conditions or have their own associated
                           impacts.

                     •     Industrial dust control is typically labor and
                           equipment  intensive  (i.e.,  using
                           conventional street sweepers), and may not
                           be effective for all sources of pollution.

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•      Some   dust   control   measures   (i.e.,
       windbreaks) may require land space that is
       not be available at all locations.

•      If a chemical dust control treatment is over-
       applied, excess chemicals could potentially
       cause  both  surface  and  groundwater
       contamination.

PERFORMANCE

In order to determine which dust control measures
to implement at a specific site, it is necessary to
consider the performance obj ectives required at that
site.   Some examples of performance objectives
include:

•      Preventing wind and water-based erosion of
       disturbed areas.

•      Reducing employee respiratory problems.

•      Implementing the control rapidly and at low
       cost and effort.

       Causing  little  or  no  impact  on  the
       environment.

•      Permanently controlling the dust problem.

Determination of the objectives for the dust control
program will  often determine  the appropriate
control measure.  For example, simply sweeping
the impervious areas for larger dust particles on a
daily  basis may provide an efficient and reliable
method of  dust  control  that can  be  quickly
implemented.  However, this method would not
permanently control the dust problem.   If the
objective  was to  permanently control  the  dust
problem,  then  another  alternative,   such  as
constructing vegetative windbreaks, would be more
appropriate.

DESIGN  CRITERIA

The design of any dust control project should limit
the amount of soil or dust particulates exposed at
one  time, and  reduce the  potential  for  dust
generation. The performance objectives established
for the particular project should also be considered
during the design stage. Additionally, some project
sites may require solutions to both industrial and
land  disturbance  dust   control  problems.
Realistically, it may not be practical or possible to
develop a design that meets all of the project goals
and objectives at one time.  Therefore it may be
more appropriate  to develop  a  phased  design
approach that utilizes a combination of temporary,
permanent,  and mechanical measures  for  dust
control.

Temporary Measures

•      Vegetative Coverings: Temporary seeding
      and mulching may be applied to cover bare
      soil and to prevent wind erosion. The soil
      must be kept moist to establish cover.

•     Barriers: Solid board fences, snow fences,
      burlap fences, crate walls, bales of hay, and
      similar material can be used to control air
      currents and blown soil.  Barriers placed at
      right angles to prevailing wind currents at
      intervals of  about  15  times the barrier
      height  are  effective in controlling wind
      erosion.

•     Calcium Chloride: This material is applied
      at  a rate that will keep the surface moist.
      Pretreatment  may be  necessary due  to
      varying site and climatic conditions.

•     Irrigation:  This is generally done  as an
      emergency treatment. The site is sprinkled
      with water until the surface is wet and
      repeated as necessary. If this method is to
      be employed at a construction site,  it is
      recommended that a temporary gravel rock
      entrance be created to  prevent mud from
      spreading onto local streets.

       Tillage: This practice roughens the soil and
      brings  clods to the surface.    It is an
      emergency measure  that should be used
      before wind erosion starts.  Plowing should
      begin on the windward side of the site using
      chisel-type plows spaced about 12 inches
      apart,  spring-tooth   harrows,  or similar
      plows.

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       Adhesives:     Use  spray-on  adhesives
       according to Table 1. These adhesives form
       fairly impenetrable surfaces, and should be
       used only if  other methods prove to be
       difficult to work with.
       TABLE 1  DESIGN OF ADHESIVE
                 MEASURES
   Type of    Water     Nozzle   Application
   Emulsion  Dilution   Type    Rate (gpa)
Anionic 7-1 Coarse
Asphalt
Latex 12.5- 1 Fine
Resin and 4-1 Fine
Water
1,200

235
300

Source: City of Eagan, 1984.
Permanent Site Modification Measures

•      Permanent  Vegetation:    Seeding  and
       sodding should be done to permanently
       stabilize  exposed  areas  against  wind
       erosion. It is recommended that existing
       trees and large shrubs be allowed to remain
       in  place to  the  greatest extent possible
       during site grading processes.

•      Stone: Coarse gravel or crushed stone may
       be placed over highly erodible soils.

•      Topsoiling: This method is recommended
       when  permanent vegetation cannot  be
       established on a site.   Topsoiling is a
       process in which less erosive soil material is
       placed on top of highly erodible soils.

Dust Collection Methods

•      Cyclone Collectors: Cyclone collectors use
       centrifugal force  to separate  dry dust and
       chemical pollutants in the air.

•      Bag  Collectors/Fabric Filters:    Bag
       collectors and fabric filters remove dust by
       filtration. Storage and disposal of collected
dust should be carefully considered so that
it does not become a source of fugitive dust.
Negative Pressure Systems: These systems
minimize the release  of  dust  from an
operation by maintaining a small negative
pressure or suction to confine the dust to a
particular operation.

Water  Spraying:      This  temporary
mechanical method confines and settles the
dust from the air by dust and water particle
adhesion. Water is sprayed through nozzles
over the problem area.

Street Sweepers: Recent studies have shown
that street sweepers effectively remove the
smallest   dust  particles  and   achieve
meaningful runoff quality benefits.  Two
kinds of street sweepers are  common in
mechanical dust collection systems.  The
brush system has proven to be efficient at
an industrial facility generating dust on a
daily basis. It has proven to be extremely
dependable and picks up the majority of
generated dust. Vacuum  sweepers may be
the best choice for areas  that are prone to
storm water overflow.  This is because they
are more efficient at picking up the smaller
particles  that  are typically associated with
contaminated  storm   water.     Other
technologies include the tandem sweeping
operation, the regenerative air sweeper, and
the "EnviroWhirl." The tandem operation
involves  two successive cleaning passes,
first by a mechanical  sweeper and then
followed by a vacuum  assisted sweeper.
The regenerative air sweeper blows air onto
the pavement and immediately vacuums it
up.   The  "EnviroWhirl"  is a  vacuum-
assisted dry sweeper. It is able to remove
debris and dust  down   to  2.5  microns.
Independent studies conducted in Oregon
and Washington report that the EnviroWhirl
sweeper  alone  was able to remove 99.6
percent of all particulates over 10 microns.
A series of once-a-week sweepings resulted
in a 76  percent reduction of suspended
solids in downstream receiving waters.

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OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

Typically, dust control measures require periodic
and diligent maintenance. For example, mechanical
equipment should be operated according to  the
manufacturers' recommendations  and  inspected
regularly as part of an industrial site's preventive
maintenance program.   Temporary dust control
measures, such as chemical spraying, watering, etc.,
require  periodic renewal.  Permanent solutions
such as vegetation, wind barriers, and impervious
surfaces, also require upkeep and maintenance in
order to remain effective.

COSTS

The costs associated with dust control measures are
generally lower for more temporary methods such
as vegetative  and  barrier methods.   This  is
attributed to the availability of the materials and
the common practices associated with them.  Other
dust control methods, such as using street sweepers,
cost considerably more because of the investment in
specialized equipment.  For example, a mechanical
brush sweeper can range from $60,000 to $120,000
and will last for about five years while vacuum-
assisted sweepers can  range from  $75,000  to
$180,000 and have a life of eight years. The City of
Lakeland (Florida) has determined their costs to be
$33.38 per curb-mile of street sweeping. This cost
includes equipment  costs (for a  vacuum assisted
street sweeper), maintenance costs (i.e., fuel),  the
employee's salary (not  including benefits), and
transferring the collected debris to a landfill. The
City  of Lakeland also has an arrangement whereby
they  are not charged for  sending the sweeping
debris to a landfill because it is then used as ground
cover for the landfill.

REFERENCES

1.    Bill  Busch,   City  of  Lakeland  (FL)
      Construction  and Maintenance Department,
       1998.    Personal  communication  with
      Parsons Engineering Science, Inc.

2.    City of Eagan, Minnesota, 1984. Erosion
      Control Manual.
3.      Finley,  S.,  1996.    Sweeping  Works.
       Pavement Maintenance and Reconstruction,
       pp. 16-17.

4.      Hennepin   County,   Minnesota,   1989.
       Erosion and Sediment Control Manual.

5.      Minnesota  Board  of  Water  and  Soil
       Resources, November, 1987.  Minnesota
       Construction Site  Erosion  and Sediment
       Control Planning Handbook.

6.      Runoff Report.  July/August, 1998.  "A
       Clean Sweep Now Possible."  Vol.6, No.4.

7.      Satterfield, C.,  1996.  Enviro Whirl 1 PM-
       Efficiency  Study Removing Re-entrained
       Road Dust.  Lake, CA.

8.      Sear,  T.,  J. Bay,  and G. Medley,  1996.
       "Development  of  Cost-Effective
       Stormwater   Treatment  Alternatives."
       Proceedings Watershed '96 Conference.

9.      Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning
       Commission (SEWRPC),  1991.  Costs of
       Urban Nonpoint Source Water Pollution
       Control Measures. Waukesha, WI..

10.    Sutherland,  R., 1996.   "Studies  Show
       Sweeping   has  Beneficial   Impact  on
       Stormwater Quality."

11.    U.S. EPA, 1979. NPDESBestManagement
       Practices Guidance Document.

12.    U.S.  EPA, Preprint,  1992.   Storm Water
       Management  for  Industrial Activities:
       Developing Pollution Prevention Plans and
       Best Management Practices. EPA 8 3 2-R-
       92-006.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Center for Watershed Protection
Tom Schueler
8391 Main Street
Ellicott City, MD 21043

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Northern Virginia Planning District Commission
Don Waye
7535 Little River Turnpike
Annandale, VA 22003

NuWhirl Technologies, Inc.
Don Thomack
2338 East Calumet Street
Centralia, IL 62801

Kurahashi & Associates
Roger Sutherland
12600 SW 72nd Avenue, Suite 100
Portland, OR 97223

Southeastern  Wisconsin  Regional  Planning
Commission
Bob Biebel
916 North East Avenue
P.O. Box 1607
Waukesha, WI 53187-1607

The  mention  of trade  names  or  commercial
products does  not  constitute  endorsement  or
recommendation for  the  use   by  the   U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency.
                                                        For more information contact:

                                                        Municipal Technology Branch
                                                        U.S. EPA
                                                        Mail Code 4204
                                                        401 M St., S.W.
                                                        Washington, D.C., 20460


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