Seasonal Dust Control is here!
Spring is here, which means dust season is on its way!
While the importance of dust control is often overlooked, it is an essential part of running a responsible business. Dust can be harmful to your worksites, local communities, and the environment if left unaddressed. Unpaved roads, parking lots, and stockpiles are just some of the contributors to excess dust that you should consider this season.
Choosing the right products is the key to sustainable and effective dust control systems. At McCue, we work with Canadian manufacturer Cypher Environmental to distribute their great range of products in British Columbia. Dust Stop is the main dust suppressant that we offer, and it has a wide range of benefits beyond this. We also offer Dust Stop Liquid Concentrate, focused on erosion and dust control, and EarthZyme for road stability.
As the weather becomes warmer and drier, dust becomes a bigger and bigger issue on many sites. Summer marks the height of dust season, so now is a great time to address all your dust control needs.
The Importance of Dust Control for People
Proper dust control is incredibly important to the people in local communities. Even if a site is remote, excess dust in the air can travel far and negatively impact those that live and work near it. These communities often offer food, housing, and services to support site activities, and as local SMEs, our obligation is to ensure that they are not negatively impacted by those around them.
Controlling this dust can greatly improve the quality of life for those in the area. If it is not addressed, dust can cause health issues since people may be breathing in particles every day. This can cause acute or chronic respiratory concerns and put locals in danger.
The day-to-day life in nearby communities is also affected by excess dust. Everything from cars to buildings can get covered in dust which is a hassle to clean and may even cause damage over time. Even something as simple as hanging laundry out to dry can become an arduous process, since the clothes may get dirty again and need rewashing.
As a part of our ESG Policy, the well-being of locals is always a consideration in the operations of a worksite, and proper dust control is a great way to make sure that we do not leave a negative impact.
The Importance of Dust Control for your Site
Another aspect of the importance of dust control is how it can benefit your work sites. Whether it is a mine, a brownfield remediation site, or even a golf course, odds are that there are unpaved surfaces that produce dust. Proper dust control can help you to reduce operating costs and improve health and safety on your site. Using environmentally friendly products like Dust Stop can also help to improve your Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) scores.
Dust control can reduce operating costs on your site in several ways. Dust Stop helps make your roads denser and more stable, which improves fuel efficiency in the vehicles you use. Vehicles and equipment will also benefit. Both dust and alternative dust suppressants – like road salts – can be damaging to your machinery, but Dust Stop is effective and non-corrosive. The density and stability of treated roads also help to reduce overall maintenance costs. Dust control can help prevent common issues such as potholing and wash boarding. The product creates a protective film that minimizes the loss of road materials. Because Dust Stop is long-lasting, these effects can be seen all season and it does not require the labour or resources of frequent reapplication.
Proper dust control can also be beneficial to your employees working on-site by improving health and safety. Excessive dust in the air can decrease visibility, which can be very dangerous for those driving on roads or using heavy machinery. Inhaling dust can also be damaging to the worker’s lungs and cause long-term health issues.
The Importance of Dust Control for the Environment
Choosing the right dust control products is essential for protecting the environment. Excess dust can be harmful to the plants and wildlife in the surrounding area, severely impacting the natural world. Contaminants from a site can leach into soil and waterways which can spread environmental damage even further. Proper dust control can eliminate these harmful aspects of dust while not having any environmental impact of its own.
There are various ways of controlling dust, but many are either harmful to the environment or not as effective. Some companies resort to simply spraying water on the affected surfaces, but this can waste valuable resources – like fuel, water, and labour – and it is not as effective as a proper dust control product. Other sites use solutions like road salts, which can be toxic and corrosive. Runoff from these can harm vegetation and wildlife in the area, and leach into freshwater systems to damage aquatic life, and spread the effects downstream. Some places have attempted more environmentally friendly solutions, like canola-based products, but many of these require frequent reapplication which can waste time and resources. Dust Stop and other products offered by McCue Environmental and Cypher are both effective and environmentally friendly, so you do not have to compromise.
Our Environmental, Social, and Governance Policies
McCue and Cypher Environmental are committed to the importance of dust control and this is reflected in our Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) policies. We work to constantly uphold Cypher’s tagline to “always do what’s right.” As well as providing worker benefits, McCue also donates 12 % of annual net profits to not-for-profit charities.
As well, on large purchases of our dust control products, we work with Cypher and their Cypher Green Roads program to donate up to 5% more of the product to a local community in need. This can include nearby towns, schools, parks, and charities that are chosen by us, Cypher, and our clients. The product and application of it come at no cost to the community.
Pond Inlet, Nunavut was the first community to receive a donation through the Cypher Green Roads program. The hamlet is located in northern Baffin Island and is one of the closest to the remote Mary River Mine operated by Baffinland Iron Mines. The mine – which McCue has commissioned a water treatment system for – uses Cypher’s Dust Stop at their site which resulted in a product donation. Cypher, Baffinland, and Nunavut Sealink & Supply Inc. (NSSI) worked together to supply Dust Stop to Pond Inlet at no cost to the community. The dust control products that the hamlet previously used were short-lasting and hard to come by, so the seasonal effectiveness of Dust Stop was a welcome change. Furthermore, people in the community were trained in the application of the product, providing skills that can benefit the community in the future.
Our Dust Control Products
McCue Environmental is focused on dust control and road stabilization products. We work with Canadian manufacturer Cypher Environmental to distribute their great solutions throughout British Columbia. All these products are environmentally friendly, non-corrosive, and are designed and manufactured in Canada. Using these products can help save operating costs by increasing fuel efficiency, and reducing maintenance and resources needed. All Cypher’s solutions are long-lasting, even in wet or dry conditions.
Dust Stop is our #1 recommendation for all your dust control needs. This unique formula acts as a dust suppressant with results that last all season, without the harmful effects of alternatives like road salts.
Dust Stop Liquid Concentrate offers erosion and dust control. Used on stockpiles and mine tailings, it can prevent runoff, so your site activities will not harm the surrounding environment.
EarthZyme is a soil stabilization product that works to improve the density, stability, and drainage of clay-based soils. Marginal road materials are cheap and readily available but are prone to issues, especially in wet weather. EarthZyme affects the clay particles for long-lasting results.
Contact Us:
To speak with a representative about McCue Environmental and our products, please contact: [email protected]