Fugitive Dust Control

Controlling Fugitive Dust and Storm Water Runoff Contamination

Environmental regulations at the national and state levels are requiring more specific efforts to eliminate or mitigate sources of contamination to our streams, lakes and air. Commercial paving and construction companies and commercial landscapers in particular are required to have fugitive dust control plans in place at their work sites or face potential liability including fines and even imprisonment.

Legislation of Fugitive Dust Control

1-800-SWEEPER partners have worked with state officials in California and other states to help develop the effective plans to contain and remove construction dirt tracked onto paved surfaces. Today, every size municipality from small rural towns, to large urban cities is concerned about municipal dust control. Without municipal or city sanctioned dust control, problems quickly can turn into public nuisance complaints about poor visibility, choking dust clouds and even life-threatening situations.

According to the U.S. EPA, exposure to high concentrations of particulate matter, including airborne dust, affects breathing, aggravates existing respiratory and cardiovascular disease, and alters the body’s defenses against foreign materials, lung damage, skin cancer and premature death. Further studies have linked respirable particulate matter with health problems like asthma and chronic bronchitis.

Although enforcement varies, the goals of fugitive dust legislation are consistent – to prevent surface material from becoming airborne. One example of state legislation is California PM10 – a health standard that addresses particulate matter less than 10 microns in size. California Health and Safety Code allows for assessment of civil and criminal penalties for violations of the as misdemeanors that can carry potential penalties from $1,000.00 to $1,000,000.00 per day per violation and/or imprisonment in the county jail.

How 1-800-SWEEPER Helps You Meet Fugitive Dust Control Requirements

Essentially, the steps required to reduce airborne particulates – dust – requires that measures be taken to control dust originating from construction areas, landscaping, and road work at all times. Dust mitigation techniques applied by construction site supervision require that dirt tracked by construction vehicles onto paved surfaces be promptly removed to prevent particulates from being pulverized and becoming airborne as traffic stirs the dust.

Available on an as-needed, hourly basis, the power sweeping /vacuuming experts at 1-800-SWEEPER can help you formulate a highly effective plan to:

• Clean up soil spillage and dirt tracked out of the construction zone
• Perform regularly scheduled vacuum street cleaning or wet sweeping

Prompt dust control and roadway construction dirt removal can prevent serious complaints from nearby residential and commercial neighbors. Wherever it originates – local haul roads, landing fields, highway shoulder work, roadway dirt and dust control is your responsibility . If you are not sure whether or not your property or job site will require a surface disturbance permit, please contact your local or regional Air Quality Management agency. And call us at 1-800-SWEEPER. We can help!

Controlling and Preventing Storm Water Runoff

In addition to fugitive dust control, regularly scheduled maintenance activities such as street sweeping, scrubbing, and catch basin cleaning are all suggested by the EPA as effective management practices in pretreatment and preventive control of contaminants reaching water sources.

Contact The Storm Water Runoff and Fugitive Dust Control Experts

For on-call hourly sweeping for your next construction job sites or highway paving project, click here to find your local sweeper pros. Or call us today to get a plan in motion to contain and control construction dust.