Archive for the ‘Soil Stabilization’ Category

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Chemistry 101 – Molecular Structure

Posted on April 16th, 2013 in Dust Control, Environmental, Freezing and Ice Build-Up, Industry Watchdog, Soil Stabilization, Synthetic Fluids, Synthetic Organic Dust Control by Bob Vitale

Chemistry 101 – Molecular Structure

I love “How To …..” books; they quickly educate and turn complicated tasks and technology into understandable information. So I thought, “How best do I describe one of the factors in molecular chemistry that has a critical impact on the performance of products used for roadways whether unpaved or gravel, whether mine haul roads, gravel runways, or drilling pads?” So here is the chemistry 101 for today on synthetic fluids vs. base oils.

The best, most perfect molecular structure for a chemical used to build or maintain a surface is one in which all molecules are exactly the same. Identical. That’s what you get in a synthetic fluid.

Base oils are made of inconsistently sized and shaped molecules, a difference that causes inconsistencies in product performance.. More importantly, the inconsistencies result in uneven environmental compliance from one part of a surface to another.

There! Now you can chat knowledgeably with chemical engineers over the barbeque pit this weekend. Well, in all seriousness, opting for a synthetic fluid over a base oil is a truly wise choice. Making it, though, requires a little sleuthing on your part to make sure you are, in fact, buying what you think you are. Others are attempting to duplicate our Synthetic Fluid Technology, but to date they are still using base oils which they claim are synonymous with synthetic organic fluids.

Click here to read “Synthetic Fluid for Results; It’s All About the Molecules,” the latest in our series of Intelligence articles. The more you know about a product from the inside-out, the fewer issues you will have with your total cost of ownership when it comes to when it comes to preserving a new road, runway or pad.

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Addressing Challenges of America’s Visible Energy Independence

Posted on February 2nd, 2013 in Dust Control, Environmental, Soil Stabilization, Synthetic Fluids, Synthetic Organic Dust Control by Bob Vitale

$2 Billion in road repair needed for Texas!
Yes, that’s billions with a “B”. The energy boom in Texas is absolutely great for the local economy and for the country, but costly road repair is a consequence. This needed road repair   requires an equally new and dramatic solution to remove this consequence.

A recently completed two-year study titled “Texas Energy Developments and TxDOT Right-of-Way” the first statewide assessment of the energy boom’s wear and tear on Texas roads released these findings. As part of the study, researchers developed a database and dynamic map that shows the location of existing and anticipated energy production sites throughout the state, including wind farms in west Texas and oil and gas wells in the Barnett Shale region of north Texas and the Eagle Ford Shale region of south Texas.

These township and county roads were not originally created to handle the truck and equipment traffic it takes to support the energy industry in this area.

The good news, Midwest and other companies are working with oil and gas producers to establish strong, durable roads, well pads and access roads with new “successful” construction technologies which can withstand the wheel loading and vehicle passes associated with oil and gas exploration and production. These new engineered processes include:

  • A newly developed, patented, system of synthetic fluid and synthetic fibers for use in construction of roads and well pads where  aggregate availability is limited, where marginal soils must be used, or where roads and pads  undergo  severe damage as a result of  moisture and freeze thaw exposure.

 

  • A system of synthetic fluid and binders which preserves the as-constructed surface integrity of unpaved or unbound gravel roads

Both engineered systems improve CBR, establish a water resistance matrix, and maintain surface strength during heavy load exposure in spite of thaw or rain events where normal construction methods are damaged and require costly repair

Energy independence is possible and our industry has to step up with new and innovative “inventions” which solve the problems our energy producers and local communities need.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BE_303BKMKA

Bob Vitale, Founder & CEO Midwest

Erosion Control Magazine called Bob Vitale “the godfather of dust control” for a good reason: Long before the word “green” meant something other than a color or one’s inexperience, Bob recognized the hazardous short- and long-term dangers of the chemicals being used to control dust, erosion, and ice. Starting with the company’s first dust-control product which was introduced in 1978, Vitale’s company has been an environmental advocate not only by developing non-hazardous solutions and the equipment with which to apply them, but also through ongoing research – the company’s own and third party. Midwest has been named to the Inc 500’s list of top environmental services companies for five of the last six years. When he is not reading, breathing, educating about and actively working to develop Earth-friendly products and services, Bob is an avid collector of, and expert on, one of Earth’s bounties:  fine red wine.

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Midwest named to Inc. Top 100 Privately-Owned Environmental Services Companies, for the 5th year!

Posted on September 30th, 2012 in Dust Control, Environmental, Freezing and Ice Build-Up, Industry Watchdog, Soil Stabilization, Synthetic Fluids, Synthetic Organic Dust Control by Bob Vitale

“I’m truly proud of the wonderful team at Midwest. For over 35 years we have been focused on creating environmentally safe solutions for the hundreds of dust control, erosion stabilization and anti-icing/de-icing applications. Inc.’s recognition of our efforts to be environmental stewards within our industry is a wonderful acknowledgement for our staff and our customers who have believed in us to solve their vastproblems over the years.”

Bob Vitale

Founder, CEO

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Just Because a Product is Called a Synthetic Fluid Does Not Mean it is One

Posted on May 8th, 2012 in Dust Control, Environmental, Industry Watchdog, Soil Stabilization, Synthetic Fluids, Synthetic Organic Dust Control by Bob Vitale

Mark Twain said “The difference between the right word and the almost-right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug”. And words are never so important as when used to describe important environmental attributes. There are a couple of words that, used together, have kept me up at night for more than a decade: (1) Synthetic (2) fluid.

First they kept me up as a scientist eager to bring an idea into reality. Now the reality is that they keep me up because they have been misused, misrepresented, and misappropriated in the market. That results in misguided buying decisions that do not meet expectations in terms of life cycle cost, performance and environmental impact.

Midwest’s role in the development of synthetic fluids started back in the late nineties. When the biggest technological burden the world faced was Y2K, Midwest was working on another global concern: keeping the Earth green. Given the power that dust and the products used to reduce it can have on human and animal health, aquatic systems, food sources and other plant life, we set out to invent a new technology for dust mitigation.

We call the result Synthetic Organic Dust Control®, a game-changing manufacturing process used to create synthetic fluids that are more environmentally sound – and subject to fewer cumbersome regulations – than older dust control products that are oils.

The benefits of synthetic fluids over oils are significant. Marketers, therefore, are calling products synthetic fluids even when they are not synthetic fluids as defined by the EPA. As a buyer, you need to ask the right questions to assure you will not end up liable for unintended consequences in the form of costly reportable incidents and regulatory fines. That is why we have written a paper comparing synthetic-based fluids to oil dust suppressants. The tests tell the story. We provide the narrative. You make the judgment about the kind and class of dust suppressant that will best meet your needs.

Please take this matter seriously. I really need to get some sleep!

Click here to read ”Synthetic-Based Fluids Versus Oil Dust Suppressants: A Comparison of Environmental and Regulatory Issues”. Continuing work is under way, and we will publish it as soon as it is available. This article is one in a continuing Intelligence series because at Midwest, we believe that the right information is everything.

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Great case in point – Self-Regulation by Education!

Posted on April 19th, 2012 in Dust Control, Environmental, Industry Watchdog, Soil Stabilization, Synthetic Fluids, Synthetic Organic Dust Control by Bob Vitale

We’ve been developing a theme throughout our messaging lately, which calls for self-regulation through education. The notion is for an end-user of a dust control product/solution to educate themselves about their unique need, the various options they have, what the REAL and total cost implications are (the choice is between a lifetime value decision – or a short-term fix) and the environmental impacts… then you can make the most appropriate and informed decision for your circumstance.

Take a read on the Larimer article linked here. This is a great twist on Regulation by Education. They self-regulated themselves and stopped using magnesium chloride for about five years, then recently having reassessed the use of mag, they are considering beginning mag chloride use again due to low cost and effectiveness.

But there are tradeoffs – environmental issues! (Of which they are properly informed.)

Their concern is that other products are more expensive and less effective and that they do not have very many option. However while this has been true in the past it is not the case today when you think “life-cycle value” and performance. There are products that are manufactured with the intended use of dust control and gravel road stabilization – that meet very specific criteria in terms of environmental soundness and long-term, cost effective performance. Their unit price is higher than that of mag chloride and other more traditional palliatives but their cost of use can be as much as 50% less when an analysis of the life-cycle cost is calculated.

Using an environmentally sound product is being socially responsible, whether by choice or regulation, and it may require a broader perspective in order to make the decision because there is an important measure of each product’s short- and long-term performance.

While you want a product that is kind to the environment, you also want one that works! As an industry, we must further define sustainable dust suppression and gravel road stabilization products and regulate (i.e. be open to new principles or conditions that customarily govern our behavior) ourselves by better understanding what will lead to the use of the most sustainable products. This will require ongoing in-depth research and development with some demonstration roads used in the evaluation so that new products can be evaluated and prove if they can do a better job preserving natural resources such as water.

Ask the vendors you evaluate what they are doing in this area.

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Regulation by EducationSM — We are going to make a difference.

Posted on November 2nd, 2011 in Dust Control, Environmental, Industry Watchdog, Soil Stabilization by Bob Vitale

Last month’s accident on Wetzel County’s Blake Ridge Road where a natural gas drilling truck rolled over, the third such occurrence in a week, got my attention – really got my attention. No driver error here. The problem was that a chemical that ostensibly was to makes a road safer, may have actually made it dangerous. My ire would be no less – probably more – if it were a Midwest product involved in the incident.

The bottom line is that it is time for someone to step up and bring important change to the game, and that means self regulation. The EPA has risen to the occasion in the last few years, helping to create regulations related to dust as a pollutant. But there is no regulation or industry oversight – none, zippo, zero – regarding the chemicals and their applications used to control dust. It’s 2011 and it’s still the Wild West out there!

I tasked my team to create a plan to help bring awareness and creative solutions to this critical issue so, among other things, we won’t be seeing any more incidents as we did on Blake Ridge Road. They proposed a broad-based communications effort – we are calling it Regulation by Education – to educate industry influencers and decision-makers about the questions they need to ask before committing to a dust-control solution.

Here are some questions you should have answers to before committing to a dust-control solution for roadways:

  1. Is the product you are considering certified effective or environmentally safe? By which independent third parties? If so, for what has it been certified and by whom?
  2. Do assessments meet ASTM and AASHTO standards?
  3. Has any supplier you are considering asked for samples of your roadway materials to determine the optimal dust-control product and application treatment for your problem area?
  4. Can the supplier you are considering customize a product solution for your unique needs, based upon laboratory and field testing?
  5. Has your supplier done a competitive cost-per-performance comparison for three-, or five- year programs to demonstrate lifecycle cost savings?
  6. Have suppliers talked to you about the short- and long-term impacts their products have on the environment?

In the absence of true regulations for product development and application, Midwest has regulated itself for more than 35 years now, a practice started because of our own concern about the environment long before such concern was trendy. We have also learned that products that are gentle on the environment can also, over the not-so-long term be gentler on our customers’ wallets.

Over the next few months Midwest’s R&D teams will help craft “self regulation recommendation” guidelines that will help assure that your project is estimated and executed with a focus on environmentally-friendly, safe products that deliver the best cost/value and have a positive impact on society and your community, not the negative impact of an overturned truck or worse!!

Contact us now if you are in the consideration phase of a project. We’ll be happy to answer the questions above – and many others – so you can make a truly informed decision about which vendor will deliver the most for you.

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Not all polymers are created equal

Posted on July 16th, 2010 in Dust Control, Environmental, Soil Stabilization by Bob Vitale

Simple statement I know. Just take a look at the images below. Talk about a picture being worth a thousand words! Here’s the quick story. The first image was the customer’s work done with Midwest product. This was a Midwest customer for about ten years. The second image is the same project/customer done with a competitive product this year. The customer put this out for bid, specified our product or equal, they received a lower bid price, but really did not realize what they were buying – in part because the vendor provided them with what was thought to be credible information but was in fact intended to mislead. I’ve written blogs on “Buyer Beware” and this is again another example. All the cliché’s… you get what you pay for… clearly an issue in the dust control industry. When you put a project out for bid, you must be sure you are receiving estimates/prices that not only completely match regarding the formulation of the product, but that the company you are buying from guarantees that you will be satisfied with the result.

Pad Treated with Competitor's Product

Pad Treated with Competitor's Product

Pad Treated with Competitor's Products

Pad Treated with Competitor's Products

Pad Treated with Competitor's Product

Pad Treated with Competitor's Product

Shoulder Treated with Competitor's Product

Shoulder Treated with Competitor's Product

Pad Treated with Midwest Products

Pad Treated with Midwest Products

Shoulder Treated with Midwest Products

Shoulder Treated with Midwest Products

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Solar Guidelines released in Arizona

Posted on May 13th, 2010 in Dust Control, Soil Stabilization by Bob Vitale

Environmental Solutions will support the building and maintenance of these important projects.

Great to read about the detailed research that is taking place to develop best practices for Solar Energy Developers, which is so important to the energy alternative solutions this country so desperately needs. The Dust Control, Soil Stabilization and Erosion Control Industry will play a major role in helping our country not only build these new energy plants with a commitment to mitigating negative environmental impact during this process, but maintaining these plants as well with a focus on “green” and safety.

Building these projects requires construction roads, service roads, heavy equipment movement as well as post construction maintenance to keep Solar panels and wind farms in optimum condition. It is critical that these projects use best green practices during the construction and maintenance process and do not overlook unintended consequences which could harm the environment if not planned properly.

Guidelines for Solar Development in Arizona

The Arizona Game and Fish Department, March 12, 2010

On March 12, 2010, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (“AGFD”) released finalized guidelines for solar development in Arizona (“Solar Guidelines”), the objective of which “is to assist energy developers in identifying potential impacts to wildlife and wildlife habitats from their proposed development and potential alternatives to avoid, minimize, and/or mitigate for these negative impacts.” The AGFD encourages local governments and permitting authorities to integrate the recommended study proposals described in the Solar Guidelines. The document is organized around five basic project development steps:

  • Wildlife Protection Regulations
  • AGFD Regulations and Review
  • Gather preliminary information and conduct site screening
  • Identify potential impacts to wildlife
  • Mitigation

The Solar Guidelines were compiled by the AGFD employees and have not undergone any external public review or input from the solar energy industry. It should be noted that some of the information contained in the Solar Guidelines was taken from the AGFD’s wind guidelines. In light of the fact that county officials often defer to the AGFD in matters of wildlife concerns, special attention should be given to the section of the Solar Guidelines focused on “Avoiding or Minimizing Impacts” and the recommendations contained therein.

In addition, AGFD identified several areas in which information regarding the impacts of utility-scale solar development on wildlife and habitats is lacking. Specifically, AGFD believes that research is needed on the following topics:

  • Determine the “effective footprint” of utility-scale solar development so mitigation strategies can be implemented at the spatial extent of the impact.
  • Need to determine the potential effects of a proposed solar project on the demographics of
    select wildlife species.
  • Evaluate the alteration of vegetation and micro-climate adjacent to solar facilities.
  • Identify the impact that utility-scale solar development has on wildlife corridors.
  • Evaluate the movement and behavior patterns of select wildlife species (e.g., ungulates,
    grassland passerines, raptors) pre- and post construction
  • Examine the impacts to migratory birds and bats.
  • Develop mitigation strategies to reduce the impacts of water impoundments associated with
    solar facilities.

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It’s time to reduce import duties and non-tariff barriers

Posted on May 12th, 2010 in Dust Control, Soil Stabilization by Bob Vitale

on Environmental Goods and Services

The time right for this effort. I know first hand how the international market is seeking solutions to environmental challenges regarding dust control and soil stabilization for a multitude of major projects around the world. We track the visitors to our website and international visitors have become a significant percentage of traffic. These visitors are not only spending time on our site learning about our products and services, but also requesting for quotes on a variety projects that need environmentally-friendly solutions. We have active projects in India, Egypt, Spain, Italy, South Africa, Saudi Arabia and the UK to name a few, so the time is certainly right to help both US companies and international markets expand their relationships and help provide environmental goods and services at lower costs and efficiencies.    

Below is a recent article outlining the process the US Trade Representative is moving on.

Investigation into the Economic Effects of Reducing Import Duties and Non-Tariff Barriers on Environmental Goods Ordered by US Trade Representative

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The Best Choices Will Not Cost, They Will Pay

Posted on December 3rd, 2009 in Dust Control, Soil Stabilization by Bob Vitale

ReGeneration Productions is a company whose mission is to “create educational media that communicate the ideals and practice of urban sustainability.”  Their first endeavor, Mission:Sustainable, gives a “green” makeover to individuals needing to integrate sustainable practices into their lives. In a recent blog post titled “Working soil so that soil works for us,” ReGeneration states that they believe that “sustainability comes down to knowing that each choice we make has a ‘cost.’ The true ‘cost’ is a combination of the economic, social and environmental costs set against the offsetting benefits associated with each choice we make.”   This concept has interesting value to the commercial and industrial segment of our earth community.

As stewards of clean air, clean water and human health, our mission is to help make improvements in the work processes used by industrial customers that deliver economic, social and environmental benefits that exceed the cost of those improvements.  The main areas of our work revolve around dust control, especially pm10 and pm2.5 health risks; sediment and erosion control, which pose risks to water and aquatic life; and stabilization that provides the social benefit of smooth, pothole free roadways for area residents while delivering improved business results and operating performance.

The amazing thing is that this is absolutely, positively doable today. There is so much improvement possible with the choices we make in the commercial and industrial arena while providing significant economic and social and environmental returns that we often say, “the best choices will not cost, they will pay.”

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