DUST
SUPPRESANTS - ENVIRONMENT
News:
What are dust
suppressants & have they worked in the past?
What's
in the news?
●
Recently, Dust suppressants have gained
significant attention as a potential solution to reduce dust-related pollution
especially in cities like Delhi
where air pollution remains a critical concern.
Key
takeaways:
●
An advisory issued by the Delhi PWD in
2019 also noted that the “use of dust suppressants in water can be more
effective than plain water sprinkling as it shows more efficiency to reduce
particulate matter emission”.
●
The advisory, which mentioned “magnesium chloride hexahydrate flakes,”
added that the dust suppressant with bio-additives helps to reduce dust for
five to six hours as compared to plain water which lasts for 15 to 30 minutes. Magnesium chloride absorbs moisture.
●
In 2019, the Delhi Pollution Control
Committee had also issued directions that all construction agencies will use
dust suppressants to control dust emissions and road-owning agencies will use
it on dusty patches.
Dust
Suppressants:
●
Dust suppressants are typically composed of calcium or magnesium salts, which are mixed with
water and then sprayed on roads.
●
This mixture effectively suppresses dust,
providing longer-lasting relief from particulate matter in the air.
Efficacy:
●
The Central
Pollution Control Board (CPCB) study indicated that the application of dust
suppressants, when mixed with water, is more effective at controlling pollution
than traditional methods, such as water spraying.
●
The study observed up to a 30% reduction in dust concentration
(including PM10, PM2.5, and PM1) for construction sites and roads following
the use of dust suppressants.
●
In 2019, the CPCB recommended the use of
dust suppressants on excavated earth surfaces, construction and demolition
waste piles, and access roads in construction areas.