The Global Economy and Business

An approach to road dust control must bear in mind the type of road along with the environment in which its situated. The answer for any paved road inside the desert will be very different than a unpaved road in the agricultural upper Midwest. Since nuisance dust has many sources from the environment, a lasting answer seriously isn’t feasible. But there are long-term options and very short term solutions to road dust.

The shortest term solution will be the spraying of water on the road surface. This really is an environment-friendly solution, but only lasts until the water evaporates. Oils are a longer term solution, but usually are not nearly as environmentally friendly as water is. In some cases, like with Times Beach in Missouri, the oils are from a unwanted source and contain poisons. The oil which was used for the road dust control product for Times Beach was only six cents a gallon, but contained dioxin and additional toxic chemical compounds. This was a cost-effective solution for this township and its dust problem, but a health and environmental nightmare. This has lead to a ban by many states for the usage of waste oils as a road dust control product.

These days, more attention is put into what covers the roads in any attempt to control road dust. This really is the main reason so much research and development continues to be funded to research environmentally friendly and cheap measures to cut back the quantity of road dust that’s contaminating the areas surrounding our roads as well as the air we breathe. This includes a variety of vegetable oils, non-bituminous chemical substances, electro-chemical stabilization, polymers, enzyme slurries, and the use of chloride salts.

The chloride salts are the most generally employed because these are the least costly of the many road dust control solutions. One can find 4 different ones in use these days which includes calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium chloride, and sodium chloride. Most users are aware the result that two of these, sodium and potassium chlorides, have on their cars because of their use in cold months of winter to prevent ice buildup around the roads.

The usage of calcium chloride for road dust control has occurred for many years. It can be observed that not only had the nuisance dust been reduced but the roads themselves have stayed intact for a longer time. It controls the dust by retaining moisture longer about the surface than other materials. This moisture level makes the dust particles too heavy to become airborne.

Not as cost effective, but longer lasting and more environmentally friendly, is a magnesium chloride solution. This hydroscopic chemical works in the same way that calcium chloride does, but with less damage to vehicles and the encompassing vegetation. Lately, there are several companies developing this from naturally evaporated sea water. These chemicals are tested through the EPA, US Army, and are in use in western states by the US Forestry Service.

There still is absolutely not a eternal road dust control product. But there are many solutions which have been showing significant promise and are lasting longer so fewer applications need to be applied. This makes them less expensive on the long term.