Dust Control – Soil Stabilization – Erosion Control

Posts Tagged ‘PM10’

Boris Johnson called for extra government funding to avert the prospect of London’s failing to meet limits for dangerous airborne particles PM10, which could cost the UK millions in fines.

The mayor of London today unveiled his long-awaited draft air quality strategy, which includes a large number of uncosted measures, suggesting City Hall will press for negotiations with the government to help foot a large share of the bill.

The report, Clearing the Air, outlines the key sources of London’s harmful airborne pollutants PM10 and proposes an action plan to reduce emissions. Proposals include targeted action to tackle traffic hotspots, more trees around high-polluting roads, and a ban on London cabs and minicabs that are older than 15 years by 2012 and on all taxis older than 10 years by 2015.

But the report warned: "The mayor will discuss with government how it can help to fund PM10 reduction and deliver measures in this strategy … Many of the proposals included in this strategy are additional to the funding settlement agreed with central government as they were not envisaged by either party at the time."

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This story is not uncommon to us. many time good intentions don’t always end up the way we want them to. In this case the method used for erosion control is not exactly panning out the way they expected, now they have a dust control problem as well as an erosion control nightmare about to take place.

Had anyone else built this hillside near the U.S.-Mexico border, it would look nothing like it does. The barren hill would be alive with native plants, the earth would be solidly rooted and not a threat to tumble down into the Tijuana Estuary, a lush, 2,500-acre salt marsh that starts 600 feet away.

But along the newly constructed border fence near the Pacific Ocean in Border Field State Park, inch-thick tan clumps of seeds and mulch still blanket the ground. They haven’t been watered, so no plants have grown.

When Top-Seal is used for erosion control and or dust control, the application can be adjusted so that the end result will promote growth of new vegetation. In farming there is a practice called moisture banking. The objective is to leave the soil undisturbed after there has been a long soaking rain. This rain will create a protective crust on the surface of the soil. This crust will help keep the moisture in the soil. When Top-Seal is used to create this protective layer for either erosion control or dust control, the effects are even more drastic. In the long run, the moisture that is banked and the sealed, is there for the seeds to utilize for growth.

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Stricter air quality standards are in store for much of the Top of Utah.

The Environmental Protection Agency officially designated a new area of the state as in violation of the Clean Air Act.

The counties in the designation, known as a nonattainment area, either do not meet federal standards for air quality or contribute to nearby areas’ violation of those standards.

Past standards have regulated coarse particle matter in the air, known as PM10, and levels of PM2.5, a finer particle matter.

In 2006, the EPA tightened 24-hour PM2.5 standards from 65 to 35 micrograms per cubic meter.

The EPA said this is the first time Utah has had PM2.5 areas designated as nonattainment.

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This article is interesting for those that don’t have a grasp of PM10 and the requirements set by differing governments. Dust control with PM10 compliance.

Winter air quality monitoring in Otago has ended, with results showing the number of times towns in the region exceeded the national standard was much lower than during last winter.

The Otago Regional Council monitors air quality in 11 towns as part of a program to meet the National Environmental Standard (NES).

It requires the average daily PM10 level (of very small particulates) not to exceed 50mcg (micrograms) per cubic metre in a 24-hour period more than once a year, by 2013.

The NES also requires levels to show a steady improvement from 2005.

Council air quality scientist Deborah Mills said overall, the number of days during which towns’ air quality exceeded the NES was much lower than in 2008.

For example, Alexandra recorded 74 days in 2008, but only 40 this year and Clyde 37 in 2008 and 24 this year.

However, Dunedin and Mosgiel’s numbers were similar to last year’s.

Other differences in the two years included towns like Alexandra experiencing a quarter of its winter incidences of excessive PM10 levels in May 2008, yet none in May 2009.

Figures in 2007 were similar to 2009, so now 2008 stood out as a "bad year", she said.

The reason for the drop in days over the limit between 2008 and 2009 was probably due to the different weather pattern for the two winters, she said.

Balclutha was monitored this winter for the first time, exceeding the NES only twice, compared to neighbouring Milton’s 34 instances.

Milton experienced the highest one-day reading of the season of 144mcg per cubic metre – three times the NES.

Alexandra followed with 137mcg per cubic metre.

"The four Central Otago towns and Milton all had high one-day values of over 100 [mcg per cubic metre]."

Those high one-day readings were similar to the ones experienced in 2008, she said.

Lawrence was monitored for the first time this winter, but only every three days, and during the winter exceeded the NES six times.

Oamaru was in its second year of monitoring and exceeded the NES twice.

With continuous monitoring for more than five years in spots like Alexandra, Arrowtown and Dunedin, the council was just starting to have enough data to start looking at patterns and to measure progress towards the 2013 goal.

To do that, staff needed to work out how to take the weather "out of the equation", she said.

"We need to understand the relationships more clearly."

The Clean Heat, Clean Air program was certainly going to be helping when it came to putting out less particulate, Ms Mills said.

The 2009 data would be assessed, with a report probably going to the council in October, she said.