This is an excellent example of a boot wash station that we used on a Superfund site seven years ago. We entered from the top right, cleaned the loose mud off of our boots. Next, we stepped into the center bin and cleaned everything off of the boots. Lastly, we stepped into the closest bin and rinsed off.
And they wonder why we keep on them about muddy tracks leaving the project onto the roadway…
The work area is the left. All runoff is diverted by silt fence and this hot mix asphalt berm to a sump, where it is pumped to a chitosan-enhanced sand filtration treatment system. This system prevented all turbid site water from entering the roadside ditch-outside of the silt fence-from draining to a creek. Note the mud on the left side of the berm and the clean asphalt on the right.
Since this is summer work and perimeter BMPs are containing all site runoff, we are not covering bare soil.
Upon completion and soil stabilization, the asphalt berm will be removed and hauled to an asphalt batch plant for recycle.
This eroded stockpile is well within the project boundaries and there is nothing leaving the project. I consider this a problem for the contractor, not for water quality compliance. By allowing this to occur, the contractor has made the eroded stockpile soil unsuitable for use in embankment fill and has to haul it offsite at their expense. This could have been avoided by berming the top of the stockpile to direct water to pipe slope drain pipe that prevents water from flowing over the side of the fill.
Is a muddy puddle a problem if it is completely contained inside the project boundary? Unless vehicles are driving through this and tracking mud outside of the project, I don’t consider it a problem and would only caution the contractor to watch out for trackout.
Not much to say here. I hope the operator got out and isn’t buried somewhere.
Sorry to say, but this is really stupid. All of the cost to repair these was on the contractor and included placing additional soil amendment, re-grading and re-spraying bonded fiber matrix, seed and fertilizer.
When sticky mud gets on your tires, it’s almost impossible to get it off without a huge tire wash.
This photo of petroleum sheen might make a nice sofa-sized image, if you’re into that sort of thing.
How to Design and Install a Wheel Wash
By: Mark Kestner, Ph.D.
National Environmental Service Co., Inc.
7 Hampshire Drive, Mendham, NJ 07945 Tel: 973-543-4586 www.drdust.com
Presented at: California Mining Association Annual Meeting 2005, Squaw Valley, CA May 24-27
Introduction
Quarries, ready-mix plants, construction sites and other industrial facilities have become the
targets of new regulations designed to prevent track-out of mud, dust and dirt on to public roads. These
regulations have been developed primarily in response to Federal EPA actions that have designated many
metropolitan areas as “non-attainment” for their failure to comply with air quality standards for fine
particulate. Fine particulate, known as PM10 and fine respirable particulate, PM2.5, are now regarded as
the number one health hazard in urban environments. These particles are so small that they become
lodged in the aveoli of the lungs where they can cause or aggravate a variety of respiratory diseases
including asthma, emphysema and lung cancer.
Local governments in non-attainment areas are forced to take draconian measures to comply with
fine particulate standards or face the loss of federal highway funds. As a result, cities like Los Angeles
and Phoenix, have or are in the process of adopting rules that require affected facilities to install wheel
washes. The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) in California, for example, has
recently passed Rule 1157 that will mandate the use of rumble grates and tire washes.
In other areas of the country, encroaching residential and commercial development around
industrial sites has led to an increased demand for wheel washes. Many companies, particularly stone
quarries, have installed wheel washes in order to get out in front of regulation and demonstrate their
willingness to be good neighbors. Other facilities are forced into compliance through fines and litigation.
Faced with state and local governments under the threat of federal action and a public unwilling
to tolerate any pollution, companies need to take a hard look at how best to respond. Because the costs of
pollution control equipment are difficult to recover, affected facilities have a real incentive to develop
affordable and effective technology to prevent carryout.
….MORE….
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