EnviroTech Journal

As an industry leader, EnviroTech Services, Inc. is always looking raise the bar by developing innovative and environmentally conscious dust control and road stabilization products, like X-Hesion® Pro.

X-Hesion Pro is an ultra-low, chloride-based dust control and road stabilization product that utilizes complex, organic polymers that reduces the overall cost of maintain unpaved roads.

When you look outside, what do you see?

For many people living in the United States, it is common to see a lawn when looking outside your front window. The American fascination with lawns can be seen as early as the 17^th century when a large, well-maintained lawn served as a symbol of wealth. However, as society and agricultural technology advanced, lawns become more accessible and soon became a staple feature of the American Dream.

But times are changing...

EnviroTech Services, Inc. takes water conservation seriously. We have covered water shortages impacting the Colorado River and highlighted water management efforts by the state of Nevada. Although this is an alarming issue, it is important to remain hopeful and review how states around the country are addressing water shortages.

In the past twenty years, California has been devastated by water shortages. A majority of the water supply in California comes from the Colorado River, which has seen rapid reduction. In response to the water crisis, the state of California is utilizing desalination plants. Desalination plants convert salt water into fresh water by using a chemical or physical process to reduce salt concentrations.

Nevada’s harsh weather, low precipitation, and growing population make it difficult to maintain proper water levels. Southern Nevada currently receives 90% of its water supply from Lake Mead, which is fed by the Colorado River. The Colorado River provides water to not only Nevada but California, Arizona, New Mexico, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, and Mexico. As mentioned in “Water Shortages and the Colorado River: What Does This Mean?”, the Colorado River is drying up at alarming rates.

Over the past decade, water shortages have been devastating to a multitude of areas throughout the world. The Colorado River provides water to more than 30 million people spanning from Denver to Los Angeles, and the Lake Powell and Lake Mead Basins are in a 20 year drought. Our use of water in the region and our actions impact the basin. Furthermore, the Colorado River is experiencing a phenomenon known as the albedo effect; previously, snow and ice reflected sunlight away from the Earth’s surface, but the loss of snow and ice is causing the river to absorb more of the sun’s energy thus increasing water lost through evaporation. The disappearance of snow and ice is due to increased emissions primarily caused by agricultural practices. A study conducted by US Geological Survey scientists, Chris Milly and Krista A. Dunne, predicts that if emissions stay at this rate, the river’s discharge could shrink by up to 31% by the middle of the century.

Keeping the road dust under control at your landfill is not just a matter of safety for your workers. It’s also a matter of keeping the neighbors happy and and avoiding Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fines.

Full chloride products are the most prominent treatment for dust control and road stabilization in North America, but they are not always environmentally friendly or effective.

This month, we will be looking at next Blog in the series titled the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). The second TCO we will investigate this month includes looking at some of the hidden costs of using water as Dust Suppressant.

The unchanging drought situation in the Southern half of California has brought back the nightmare of dust-bowl conditions. At a recent presentation by the Association of California Water Agencies, climatologist Michael Anderson described the current situation in dire terms, saying, “You’re looking at numbers on par with what was the Dust Bowl.” California farmers have seen loses of more that $1.5 billion dollars due to lack of water, according to the L.A. Times.

Whether you operate a landfill, mine, or farm, you know that dust control is an ongoing problem that needs a better (and more cost-effective) solution than just water – especially during the drought conditions affecting many parts of the country.