How Do Dust Control Techniques Work?

Dust is an issue in several places, but it is most prevalent on roadways and construction sites. A heavy vehicle travelling fast on an unpaved road can kick up a lot of dust, and so can a construction site.

Dust is a collection of small particles that aren’t just an inconvenience. They’re an environmental aggressor that can harm ecosystems, degrade air quality, and put human health at risk.

If you create a lot of dust or want to minimize it, here are dust control techniques and solutions.

Reduce the Dust Source

While this isn’t realistic for most, addressing the source of the dust is a good place to start. Reducing traffic in an area that’s stirring up dust or reducing vehicle speed can do the trick.

Consider wetting surfaces so dust does not kick up. Alter processes to reduce dust production. Substitute materials that are less likely to produce dust.

Isolate Or Enclose the Dust Area

Enclosure and isolation are strategic dust control approaches that cut off access to certain areas or entire rooms to keep dust particles restricted to that area. By doing so, dust is contained, worker safety is enhanced, cross-contamination is minimized, and air quality is improved.

In addition, other dust control techniques are applied to eliminate the dust or subdue its effects. In many cases, an integrated solution is best.

Use Dust Suppression Chemicals

Dust suppression chemicals can be used on roads and in any environment where dust is a problem. Two predominant types of non-organic dust suppression chemicals function in this capacity.

Calcium chloride is a cost-effective and efficient hygroscopic salt. Magnesium chloride is also highly effective as dust control solutions, with similar attributes to calcium chloride, but it is more readily available.

Water Is Your Essential All-Natural Dust Suppressor

Water attracts dust particles, binds them together, and restricts their airborne tendency. Water can work wonders to reduce dust on fine, dry soils or unpaved roads. Assuming supply is available to you, there are several ways to do this.

A sprinkler system can establish a moisturizing net across a large area, such as a construction site. A water truck can target moisture at specific areas where dust control is needed. A drip irrigation system applies water in arid places where conservation is necessary.

Frequency of Water Application Varies

In windy or hot conditions, more frequent water applications will be needed. For this reason, water is most companies’ go-to for dust control because it is environmentally safe and can be used as often as one wishes.

Dust Extraction Removes Particulate Matter

Dust extraction is an effective way to guard against dust in industrial settings where there is a lot of it—such as active sanding or grinding. This removes dust from the air, using a fan to draw dusty air towards a filter. From there, dust particles are captured in the filter. The remaining air is then sent outward through a ductwork channel.

Organic Dust Suppression Chemicals

There are organic forms of dust control, such as lignosulfonate wood pulp derivatives. These are green biodegradable polymers. While eco-friendly, they come at a higher cost.

There are also dry-strength resins. They are another durable dust control solution derived from natural oils. Dry-strength resins create a sticky barrier against dust dispersion but, unfortunately, are more costly than the other options mentioned.

Encapsulation With a Polymer Or Resin

Encapsulation is an advanced dust control technique in which a binding medium is used to capture airborne hazards and surround them in a protective shell. It’s often used when dust is hazardous, such as asbestos-based carcinogenic fibres, lead-based paint particles, contaminated toxic soil, or dust from industrial processes. That said, in lesser situations, the expense of encapsulation does not make it worth arranging when other dust control solutions exist.

Providing Personal Protective Equipment to Workers

In some settings, you can’t get rid of dust altogether and/or actively manage it. An integrative ongoing solution is to use personal protective equipment on workers to ensure they avoid potentially toxic dust. This includes respirators, dust masks, goggles, gloves, and even Tyvek suits if you want full head-to-toe protection.

Why Magnesium Chloride Is Recommended for Dust Suppression

Of all these, magnesium chloride gets our vote as a high-performance dust suppressant. As an inorganic salt compound, it absorbs moisture from the air and holds dust particles down.

Magnesium chloride can be bought in flakes, pellets, or liquid form. It has been used as a dust suppressant predominantly in the Western United States since the 1920s. A single application is all you need to control dust.