Dust control solutions are mainly applied in areas where there are chances of air and water being polluted due to dust. It can be in a construction plant or in any kind of factory. Dust control basically means to prevent the transportation of dust via air or water.

Dust control is very important because it prevents erosion at the same time. Erosion is the removal of the rich, fertile top layer of soil. Erosion can happen in many ways. Air and water are the topmost reasons for erosion but there may be many reasons. Dust control can be done in many ways. Some are discussed below.

Effective dust control solutions:

There are many dust control solutions which are applied. They are as following:

• Water: By far the cheapest method of dust control solutions which includes spraying of water around the areas of loose dust. For this method, there must be some restriction on how much water can be used because too much will eventually lead to erosion. A water tanker is taken around the site two to three times a day and water is sprayed. This water hardens the soil and hence prevents the formation of dust.

• Vegetation and Mulch: If done properly this method can reduce dust dispersion by at least 80 per cent. This method involves the planting of trees which is one of the basic measures that can be taken by an individual and as a result, it will protect the soil against both wind and water erosion. There are two drawbacks to this method. The first one is that the vegetation site needs to be watered regularly and accurately otherwise there would be issues of erosion. The second problem that one could face is that after planting the seeds of the vegetation, birds or other animals could eat up to 50% of them. As a result, half of the plants will never grow.

• Polymers: Polymers can be used for dust control solutions but only for areas which do not have much of vehicle traffic. In this method, Polymers are first applied dry and then water is sprayed over it. As it dries it holds up each and every particle of the soil together forming a flexible crust like structure. Its effectiveness ranges from 70-90%.

• Barriers: Barriers are an executive choice when it comes to dust control solutions. Most barriers are made out of wood. What they do is prevent the dust or soil from flying off from the site. These barriers must be placed strategically and at right angles for the best effect. Barriers can also be made by stone or hay. Barriers include wind fence, sediment fence and board fence.

• Stones: Stones can also prove resourceful in reducing erosion. Stones can be kept on top of the dust or soil and the weight will prevent them from flying off. Although in the areas of very high wind, stones like 8-inch stones must be used in place of small stones. It is also a very cheap method of dust control.

Dust control solutions are very important because they not only prevent erosion of soil, but they prevent our air and water from getting polluted. These mentioned methods are some of the many that can be applied for dust control. Every construction plant or factory should have dust control precautions. Nowadays in many countries dust control is compulsory and government mandated for every construction site near human localities.