Washington County has a big problem with unpaved roads and a big budget to deal with them. One call to Midwest could make the issue, and the cost, a whole lot smaller.
Dirt roads are often as old as — well, dirt — but there are some very modern solutions to the dust problems they kick up. Now rural access routes can hold onto their rustic charm without the irritating and often unsafe clouds of dust that tend to drift around unpaved roads.
And it doesn’t have to cost the Earth, as options that are both environmentally safe and cost effective are readily available. All it takes is a little know-how from the team of experts at Midwest Industrial Supply, Inc., who has been controlling dust for over 40 years.
The Roads of Washington Are Washing Away
Take Washington County, Pennsylvania, for example. The area has 25,000 miles of unpaved roads that link people to their farms, homes, and workplaces. The roads may be lightly used, but they still pollute the flora, fauna, and waterways around them.
Sediment and dust from the surface is picked up by the wind and runs off in the rain. Dust that settles on plants can hinder photosynthesis, and when it gets into streams it can damage the gills of fish.
Plus, the road will only require additional maintenance once the fines have been washed away, tacking on unnecessary expenses. Throw in Pennsylvania’s freezing winter and seasonally heavy snowfall, and you have a recipe for a maintenance nightmare.
What Are the Options?
The Observer-Reporter informs us that Washington County is using a veritable windfall in revenue to bolster its budget and fund some improvements of its country roads. These include a plan to resurface some sections with hauled in aggregate and potentially build drainage along the roadways.
The county is appealing to residents to report specific problem areas so that they can improve the roads on a case-by-case basis, a somewhat feasible proposition thanks to a budget that’s more than seven times the size of last year’s total.
Sure, that sounds like a lot of money, but with thousands of miles of road to cover, it actually still might not be enough. The budget will end up feeling the strain if all the improvements involve shipping in costly aggregate, a process that will also add to pollution levels in the air.
Midwest Can Help
Midwest works with each client to find a solution tailored to fit their needs and their budget. The obvious first step in this case would be sampling the dust in reported problem areas. For this type of project, there are a number of possible approaches (you can read about some of them here), but the most important thing is keeping fine particles in their place without digging up the road.
To get more specific, Washington County should consider using Midwest’s EnviroKleen® product. Studies have shown that the first application of this synthetic fluid immediately reduces the level of dust on the road by approximately 84%.
EnviroKleen is a patented, organic dust control solution applied with a truck-mounted spray system. EnviroKleen provides longer-lasting performance and requires fewer applications than other dust control and surface-stabilization methods — regardless of season.
EPA ETV verified safe and effective, EnviroKleen does not evaporate or leach out of the surface, and is biodegradable in natural environments. And it doesn’t stop there: Midwest also handles dust level record-keeping and reporting, making active compliance with the EPA’s Clean Air Act a whole lot easier. Midwest can do away with dust, strengthen the surface, and deliver optimal results at an affordable price.
(Image credit: Nicholas A. Tonelli/flickr)
