EnviroTech Journal

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.

Because of the ongoing, and sometimes severe, drought conditions affecting many areas of the country, farmers are faced with learning new strategies to save water and reduce dependence on fertilizers. In many cases, the technologies they are turning to now have actually been available for many years but weren’t considered cost effective until farmers faced losing their crops to drought.

Whether you are a farmer, miner, or landfill manager, the two most important keys to successful dust control are finding a product that is tailored to address your needs, and to make sure you are using it in the most effective manner.

"When you implement a Water Conservation Program, you are contributing to the public good."  ---  Steve Clark, PhD                   

Steve Clark was right in his assessment; conserving water concerns and affects all aspects of society. Modern society uses water on a scale undreamt of a mere hundred years ago. As communities expand and merge into mega-cities, the drain on the water infrastructure becomes insupportable. Aquifers are being drained at a rate far higher than they can refill and it's estimated that, within the next two generations, 25 percent of the population that depends on them will begin experiencing significant problems.

Dust control in the western part of the United States is not an easy task on any level. High winds and miles of wide-open fields blended with a scalding, arid climate causes extensive erosion that destroys everything in its path. The dust and pollutants carried with it on the breeze is sometimes unbearable for man or beast. 

“We never know the worth of water till the well is dry.” So said Thomas Fuller, in 1732, though it could have been just yesterday.

The 2015 Water Shortage isn’t new; water shortages have been an ongoing threat to farms for centuries. But if you don’t have a comprehensive water conservation plan, or your plan isn’t living up to your expectations, the time to do something is now.

What does BioPreferred® mean?
The BioPreferred® program is managed by the United Stated Department of Agriculture (USDA) and promotes the development, sale, and usage of products derived mainly from renewable resources rather than traditional petroleum-based products. The goal of the program is to preserve the health of the environment as well as us humans through the reduced distribution of harmful products.

As the drought continues to restrict and financially burden the west, produce farmers struggle to keep their crops producing and their businesses afloat.

This past spring, California produced the annual water allotment wherein the winter runoff was parceled out to larger farms, those who provided more produce to the state, and then was dispersed to the smaller or family owned farms. With the trifling water portions that most produce farmers received, some are looking for alternative ways to conserve water, hopefully making it possible to keep their farms afloat during the scorching summer months.

Odors, leaching, rising costs, upset neighbors, and ever-changing EPA regulations: As you may already know, controlling your dust can help mitigate all of these problems.

Of course, the first step in controlling a dust problem is determining the scope of your problem and understanding how (and if) various factors can be limited.

Water conservation is incredibly important; it is a global issue and something that everyone needs to focus on. There are a number of actions that can be instituted to ensure water is not wasted on roads, in landfills, and during agricultural projects. The BioPreferred®, X-Hesion Pro® water application for roads is part of a cohesive program designed by EnviroTech Services Inc. as a method of reducing the water utilized to keep dust levels down on unpaved roads.