Global Road Technology has successfully used its polymer solutions to reduce airborne dust at a South-East Queensland quarry, cutting water usage and saving the quarry operator in ongoing operational costs.
Following
a dry summer,
GRT’s client
was using up to
500,000 litres
of water a day
through
continuing
applications
from an onsite
water tanker,
costing the
quarry dearly
through water
purchases and
additional
costs including
staff wages and
equipment
usage.
Global
Road Technology
Managing
Director Troy
Adams said more
businesses were
examining the
hidden costs of
airborne
dust.A
study published
in the Lancet
Neurology in
June found the
harm caused by
air pollution
was
significantly
underestimated,
and has been
increasing over
the past two
decades,
Mr
Adams
said.Air
pollution,
including
fugitive dust
from
construction
and industry,
increases the
risk of death
and permanent
disability, but
too often it
has been
considered
low-risk, or
too difficult
and expensive
to
address.
Our
work with
custom polymer
solutions has
shown this is
clearly not the
case;
effective,
long-lasting
dust
suppression can
be achieved for
as little as 35
cents a square
metre, with
water savings
of up to 99 per
cent.
GRT’s
dust
suppression
technology can
be applied to
unsealed roads,
hardstands,
cleared sites,
and even large
soil or mineral
stockpiles.
Simtars was
engaged by
Global Road
Technologies
(GRT) to
provide
independent
evaluation/measurements
based on a
statistical
comparison of
field data to
evaluate the
performance of
GRT commercial
products in
suppressing
dust from a
section of
treated
compared to
untreated
roads.
For businesses weighing up the cost of airborne dust with the cost of reducing the harm from dust, the calculation has become simple; dust suppression reduces water wastage and environmental harm, reduces the impact to heavy machinery from wear and tear, and cuts employee costs,Mr Adams said.
GRT’s
recent work
applying its
GRT5000
solution
delivered
effective dust
suppression at
a productive
quarry for
between four
and six weeks,
freeing up
staff and
equipment to
concentrate on
income-generating
activities
including
product
extraction.
GRT5000
is
environmentally
friendly and
non-toxic
solution that,
when mixed with
water, is
applied to
sites through a
typical water
tanker.The
benefits to our
client were
immediately
realised in
both
environmental
and financial
savings,
Mr
Adams
said.
The
results
supported a
Deloitte
analysis of
GRT’s
technology,
which found
cost savings
within 21 days,
and a
break-even
point in less
than six
weeks.When
you add the
cost of at
least one
employee
operating a
water tanker
almost
constantly each
day, the cost
of purchasing
bulk water, and
the opportunity
cost of
removing
machinery and
staff from
production,
water-only dust
suppression
becomes rapidly
uneconomical,
Mr Adams
said.
GRT
clients have
also recognised
the
non-tangible
benefits of
reducing dust
from their
operations.Our
clients want to
be good
neighbours, and
every operator
in an
extractive
industry is
acutely aware
of the impact
of their
operations on
surrounding
properties and
the ‘nuisance
factor’ of
dust, from
increased
cleaning for
houses and
vehicles, and
an inability to
entertain
outdoors,
Mr Adams
said.
The
impact on a
company’s
corporate
reputation can
be severe, and
can lead to
more complaints
and regulatory
restrictions on
production.When
you factor in
potential
restrictions on
operating
hours, or a
requirement to
limit
operations when
prevailing
winds are not
favourable, let
alone potential
roadblocks to
expanding a
quarry
footprint,
fugitive dust
can become a
make or break
issue,
Mr
Adams
said.We
are very proud
of the work we
have done in
reducing
fugitive dust
for this
client, and our
expert project
managers can
discuss the
unique
requirements of
any job site
and the
benefits we can
bring.
GRT
has flexible
application
packages for
quarries and
landowners,
including
monthly invoice
and retainer
options.