Fugitive Dust Why Control Fugitive Dust? Sources of Fugitive Dust Besides causing the need for additional Significant sources of fugitive dust include cleaning of homes and vehicles, fugitive dust grain bins, quarries, haul roads and can cause low visibility on unpaved roads, construction sites. which can lead to accidents. In severe cases, In the example of an unpaved road, fugitive Division of Compliance it can interfere with plant growth by clogging dust is created when a vehicle travels down pores and reducing light interception. Dust Assistance the unpaved road. The larger and faster the particles are abrasive to mechanical vehicle, the more dust it will create. One way 300 Sower Boulevard, First Floor equipment and damaging to electronic of controlling this is with dust suppression, equipment, such as computers. Frankfort, KY 40601 such as water or gravel, at the end of unpaved What Is Fugitive Dust? Phone: 502-564-0323 Although generally not toxic, fugitive dust roads. can cause health problems, alone or in Fugitive dust is defined as dust that is not Email: [email protected] emitted from definable point sources, such as combination with other air pollutants. dca.ky.gov industrial smokestacks. Sources include open Infants, the elderly and people with Dust from around the world! fields, roadways and storage piles. respiratory problems, such as asthma or bronchitis, are the most likely to be affected. Fugitive dust you create does not affect only The state regulation that provides for the In addition, not controlling fugitive dust at a those within close proximity to your location. control of fugitive emissions may be accessed worksite can create more hassle for the In a model of dust imports developed by at http://www.lrc.ky.gov/kar/ worksite foreman in response to complaints researchers from Harvard and NASA shows 401/063/010.htm. from neighbors, paperwork, fines and that very “fine dust can be transported over inspections from regional field office long distances – from Asia to North America, This regulation applies to any apparatus, op- branches. and from North Africa to Florida, and all the eration or road that emits or may emit fugi- way around the world to Canada and the tive emissions provided that the fugitive U.S.” http://news.harvard.edu/ Division for Air Quality emissions from such facility are not else- Below: Example of fugitive dust coating gazette/2006/12.07/05-dust.html. where subject to an opacity standard within 300 Sower Boulevard, 2nd Floor automobiles. the Division for Air Quality regulations. Frankfort, KY 40601 The provisions of this regulation shall not Phone: 502-564-3999 apply to agricultural practices, such as tilling of land or application of fertilizers, which air.ky.gov take place on a farm. What does this mean to you? If you are a business or operation that can create dust, then you must take every reasonable Above: Fugitive dust at a quarry. October 2016 precaution to control it. Developing a dust prevention ADDITIONAL INFORMATION and control plan Fact: Unpaved roads produce AND LINKS OF INTEREST about 10 million tons of Identify all potential fugitive dust particulate matter air pollution each year in the United States. emission sources. U.S. Environmental Protection Start with a facility site-plan map and Agency, Office of Air and Radiation record all paved and unpaved haul Below: Water trucks and street scrubbers are www.epa.gov roads, stockpiles, material transfer excellent ways to help control fugitive dust. points, parking lots, staging areas and Above: Example of fugitive dust on a roadway any other areas subject to wind erosion. National Small Business Ways to Control Fugitive Dust Environmental Assistance Program Study daily traffic volumes and Windbreaks and barriers https://nationalsbeap.org/ determine whether roads and open Frequent water applications areas are used frequently or occasionally. Chemical applications (such as California Air Resources Board calcium or magnesium chloride, Determine frequency of application http://www.arb.ca.gov/pm/ which may require a groundwater for each source and each control fugitivedust_large.pdf protection plan) method. Posted and enforced speed limits Record all dust control activities on a checklist, along with the daily weather Idaho Department of Environmental Control of vehicle access information, such as wind speed and Quality Covering of open piles direction and temperature and https://www.deq.idaho.gov/site- rainfall. By doing this, you’ll be able to search.aspx?search=dust+control+plan Use of gravel or water at site exit monitor and evaluate the success of points to remove caked-on dirt your efforts. Fugitive emissions complaints and violations Nebraska Department of Washing of equipment at the end of are related to yearly precipitation patterns. Monitor your dust control efforts. Environmental Quality During periods of prolonged drought, the the day or prior to site removal You’ll need to do this on a regular number of complaints and violations basis to ensure that the measures http://www.deq.state.ne.us/ Wet sweeping of public thoroughfares generally increases. This is especially true taken are adequately controlling Publica.nsf/0/48b60f1d4f66c38e05256c550 07724ce?OpenDocument during the summer months when the sun’s fugitive dust. Covering of open trucks heat dries up surfaces more quickly and You are prohibited from allowing people tend to be out doing activities that Use a self-inspection checklist. Doing fugitive dust to leave your property. If create more dust. On average, the Division this will help incorporate the routine University of Missouri Extension the majority of your time is spent for Air Quality receives about 250 complaints tasks of fugitive dust control into your http://extension.missouri.edu/p/G1885 about fugitive emissions each year. schedule. The checklist will also serve cleaning up dust, you are not controlling the problem. as a daily reminder and a record of your efforts to keep dust problems to a minimum. .