Eco Friendly Dust Control?

[bp fick]

I know this will sound horrific, but when I was a kid, counties used to spray rural country roads with diesel-used motor oil type concoction. Ouch!

Some places used a brine which wasn't much better, if at all, for the environment. Salt flakes and other salt or chlorine type products were/are still in use.

My question is this. What Eco-friendly, safe products work for controlling dust on our long gravel drives, tool shed earthen floors, etc?

Any ideas?

 

[LBrown59]

I know this will sound horrific, but when I was a kid, counties used to spray rural country roads with diesel-used motor oil type concoction. Ouch!

Nowadys there aren't nearly as many miles of gravel roads in Washington County as there used to be.
Most of them have been either paved or blacktopped.
I sure don't miss the oild gravel toads of yesteryear.
What a mess that maid of the paint job on your car and in people homes when it got tracked in on peoples floors.

It controlled the dust but the oil was harder to deal with than the dust was.

 

[Willl]

Dust: Don't Eat It! Control It!

 

[zzvyb6]

I tried out some crushed asphalt on my 800' driveway. Its just an inch or so and spread by the truck when delivered by leaving the tailgate open a bit. Did a great job. End of dust problem and it looks so much more elegant. Also is softer on the dog's paws. No problem in the winter either once the surface freezes over with a coating of ice and snow. I think it was $200 for 5 yards. Each load did about 1/2 the driveway. Everybody agrees that its a superior way to make a driveway. Never hardens up and easy to smooth out with a rake (Needed my rototiller before this).

 

[bp fick]

Neat post. Beet juice, eh? Gonna check into that!

 

[PILOON]

We still have dirt roads around here.
The city uses a wood resin concoction that is applied with a tanker truck using a long pipe wider than the truck full of nozzels that spray a good even coat.
Lasts for most of the summer season.

 

[Wayne County Hose]

I like what they use on the interstates. They pour oil and tar mixture all over the place with small stones mixed in. Then they roll it pretty flat. Don't know if that's better than putting oil on a dirt road or not.

 

[bp fick]

My question is this. What Eco-friendly, safe products work for controlling dust on our long gravel drives, tool shed earthen floors, etc?

Any ideas? Still looking for them.

 

[smitty9266]

CaCL2 or better known as Calcium Chloride Flakes, not Pellets. Spread with a spreader, attracts moisture to stop dust, as a side benefit...kills weeds.
You also will not have to shovel first few snows as they will just melt away!

Drawbacks corrosive must was spreader with soap after application. Must also be careful after application to not wear shoes inside house until it is all melted into rocks, will leave a greasy footprint on carpet if you do!

Here is a article describing different methods of dust control, Dust: Don't Eat It! Control It!

or Road Dust Control Products: Calcium Chloride Dust Control Agents

or Hot Stuff Calcium Chloride Flake

or you can try http://www.semcog.org/uploadedFiles/Programs_and_Projects/Water/Stormwater/Municipal_Training/Streets_and_Parking_Lots/Gravel%20Road%20Parking%20Lot.pdf

I usually have to apply twice a year on my drive here in Mississippi, on the Brother in laws business drive four times a year but he has 20 cars in and out plus 30 to 40 semi trucks a day.

Jeff

 

[bp fick]

Well, I have read the articles via the links provided. Thanks

I also realize that a Calcium Chloride product will certainly do the job, been around awhile and is readily available, but I was kind of hoping someone might know of a slightly more ecologically friendly product. I was hoping that maybe someone had actually tried a beet juice product for dust control. I haven't even been able to find a source for a more generic beet juice at a local supply house.

Whatever one uses, a 100' of dusty driveway, or the gravel floor of a large pole barn is going to take a considerable amount of product. Economically friendly wouldn't hurt either.

Still listening and thinking. Thanks for all your thoughts.

 

[Duffster]

Well, I have read the articles via the links provided. Thanks

I also realize that a Calcium Chloride product will certainly do the job, been around awhile and is readily available, but I was kind of hoping someone might know of a slightly more ecologically friendly product. I was hoping that maybe someone had actually tried a beet juice product for dust control. I haven't even been able to find a source for a more generic beet juice at a local supply house.

Whatever one uses, a 100' of dusty driveway, or the gravel floor of a large pole barn is going to take a considerable amount of product. Economically friendly wouldn't hurt either.

Still listening and thinking. Thanks for all your thoughts.

What is un "friendly" about calcium chloride?

 

[forgeblast]

"They pour oil and tar mixture all over the place with small stones mixed in. Then they roll it pretty flat. Don't know if that's better than putting oil on a dirt road or not."

That my friend is called chipping. We have bumper stickers in Susquehanna County that read. "Susquehanna County roads, we chip them or skip them."
Its a quick and easy fix, the first week its ok to drive on them, but after one winter all the mess they hid under it comes back.

I remember a post that talked about a soil stablizer that would be poured on and then make the soil hard enough to drive on. It was a polymer and supposed to be "safe".

 

[Wayne County Hose]

What is un "friendly" about calcium chloride?

I have no clue what is "unfriendly" about placing things on the earth that came from the earth. There are millions of miles of roads with oil and stone dumped on them (pavement) and when the oil/stone mixture cracks, plants grow up through it. I guess the oil doesn't do too much harm then. Truth be known, the earth pollutes our oceans with more oil than man does. Perhaps the EPA should fine the planet. Don't want a peeing match here, just looking at things as a realist, not a fringe whacko.

 

[bp fick]

Also, not a radical, nor a "fringe whacko" myself. Please. Asking about potential alternatives certainly stirred some emotions here, and NONE of that was intended nor implied.

However, our soil is very porous. We are on well water. Increasing chlorides is not desirable. Most county health departments have strict codes as to well location in feet to sources of potential salinization for example.

Arsenic, lead, mercury, etc are all from the earth elements. But I don't think I would spread them on thick on my property.

Calcium chloride is certainly none of those types of elements, but it is a chloride and it is a salt. Put it on your grass, even in rather diluted amounts and the grass dies. Ditto for plants.

I'm just sayin', is there something else to consider?

 

[Wayne County Hose]

Fred,

Now I understand where you are coming from. Probably should have said from the start about protecting your well. Just kinda sounded like another "planet is doomed" type to me.

I don't know the product you are looking for, if there is one, but I do know farmers in your situation that use industrial grade vegetable oil available in 55 gallon drums.

Andy

 

[bp fick]

Well, you know what they say about making assumptions....

No harm, no foul. No problem.

I am a farmer and I do care about the earth, as I am also an avid fisherman. I have never seen that as contradictory, nor do I consider it political in the least. Folks who know me, realize I don't care much about politics, as I haven't been too impressed by it thus far in life.

There is more to this than even the well water issue.

I am expanding my gardening big time on this new property and the only way to make it truly profitable is to go organic. Those vegetables simply bring higher returns on the investment. This year was my pilot year and I had extremely good success. Even I was impressed that without chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides I had relied upon for decades could be eliminated from use and the crops be successful.

This is a merging of both my love for farming, my respect for God's creation, and a little good old fashioned capitalism thrown in.

I have to check, but I am pretty sure Calcium Chloride won't be allowed for my certification.

Best Wishes

 

[teg]

I have a thick gravel bed for my road, it doesn't kick up any dirt or dust. It's rough as h e l l and some day, I plan to put crusher run over the top which shouldn't be too dusty. Just a thought.

 

[bigtiller]

We still have dirt roads around here.
The city uses a wood resin concoction that is applied with a tanker truck using a long pipe wider than the truck full of nozzels that spray a good even coat.
Lasts for most of the summer season.

I think that is what an applicator is selling in my neighborhood. Except he calls it "tree sap". It works as good as calcium chloride and I am told it is all natural.

 

[bp fick]

Seems contractors and cities are using a wide variety of products.

Soybean oil based
Tree sap - both "high crack" water soluble, "low crack" water insoluble.
Beet juice type product- yup! similar to what is going in tires for ballast.

Question is, apart from hiring a company, wondering where a guy could get a product he could apply himself, as needed?

Thanx guys.