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Effective dust suppression pays off in C&D

Controlling dust these days is a technical issue that requires more than just a hose

Effective dust suppression pays off in C&D

When IronHustler president Dave Schielein began investigating alternative methods of dust suppression on demolition and recycling projects, the company had been using the same technique that most firms use: manually spraying the area with a hose. But Schielein was dissatisfied with the results.

“It was an expensive approach, having a worker spend an entire shift spraying the site,” says Schielein. “Even worse was the fact that it was so ineffective. The powerful spray would actually dislodge dust from the ground and send it airborne. And the sheer volume of water quickly soaked the debris, turning it into a muddy mess. If we had to haul any material to a landfill after completing a job, we were actually paying extra for the water weight.” After doing some initial research, Schielein purchased a dust suppression unit from a European supplier.  

“It was basically just a snowmaking machine, with a few revisions,” he says. “The suppression performance was a disappointment, and that machine wasn’t very user-friendly. Ease of operation and portability were among the primary problems.”

Undeterred, Schielein continued his research, comparing equipment from several manufacturers. He ultimately settled on a DustBoss DB-60 from Dust Control Technology (DCT), the largest model in the company’s family of dust management products.  

“Demolition job sites are tough on equipment, and we didn’t want to invest in a modified leaf blower that wouldn’t stand up to daily use,” continues Schielein. “Most people don’t realize that dust suppression is a technical issue. The U.S. EPA certainly recognizes that there’s more science to it than just blowing water droplets with a fan. All of the components have to be designed to work together, including the fan speeds, blade pitch and atomization nozzles. We liked the fact that Dust Control Technology concentrates only on suppression, and they’re not concerned with selling a wide range of equipment. Dust management is all they do.”

“The effectiveness was the first thing we noticed,” Schielein continues. “The DB-60 covered a huge area with a very fine mist. Equipment from other suppliers tended to produce large droplets, more of a spray than a fog. And even the oscillating models couldn’t match the coverage area.” IronHustler also estimates that the company saves a net six hours of labour per day during demolition and recycling activities, allowing employees to concentrate on core activities and avoid potential worksite hazards.

“The DustBoss started paying back from the first day we used it,” Schielein says. “It’s easy to operate and can run unattended all day. And at today’s pay rates, that can save us as much as $2,000 a week.”  

Cost of ownership
Price is always a critical factor when specifying capital equipment, and IronHustler looked carefully at less expensive equipment before purchasing from DCT.   “Some competitors claim that we could buy two or three of their machines for the cost of the DustBoss,” Schielein admits.

“But we would’ve had to buy multiple units to equal the performance and durability of this design.”  

Maintenance costs and service life were also key factors for IronHustler in the decision to purchase the DB-60. 

“It’s built with all heavy-duty components and carries the best warranty in the industry,” Schielein says. “We wanted something more than a band-aid. We were looking for a permanent solution. Our DB-60 has been in service for more than six years, and it’s still performing like new. It’s more than paid for itself in manpower savings, and by helping us avoid work stoppages and potential fines.”

Schielein related a brief summary of a recent project that illustrates the effectiveness of his equipment decision.  

“We took down a steel plant in Sterling, Illinois, and at one point we got a visit from the EPA. Apparently someone had seen what they thought was a dust cloud coming from the work site. When the EPA rep. visited the project and saw that the “cloud” was actually the dust-suppressing mist from the DustBoss, he commended us on the use of leading-edge technology and went on his way.

“That really confirmed for us that we’d made the right choice.”

When asked about the claims of self-containment that some suppliers have made, Schielein pointed out that even diesel-driven designs still need a large water source.  

“At 50 to 100 gallons a minute, even a tanker truck will exhaust its water supply pretty quickly. Rather than deal with a maintenance-intensive design like that, we’ve opted to use an on-site generator and stick with the electric-powered DustBoss.”

IronHustler has since purchased a second DustBoss unit, a DB-30 that’s just the right size for on-site concrete recycling operations that have become a company specialty.  

“The smaller unit is perfect for our crushing and recycling,” Schielein adds.   “In fact, this technology has proven so successful for us that we now include DustBoss literature in the package whenever we quote a job. Customers see that as part of our proposal, and they know we’re employing state-of-the-art dust suppression technology.”

Company info

1607 W. Chanute Rd
Peoria, IL
US, 61615

Website:
dustboss.com

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