Achieving Sustainability

1
Achieving Sustainability Safety Through
Environmental Control of Dust Sediment with
Acrylic Polymer Technology
2
Overview

• Introduction to Dust / Key Figures
• Sources of Dust / Dust Problems
• Traditional Practices for Dust Control
• History of Acrylic Polymer Technology
• Characteristics of Acrylic Polymers
• Sustainable Performance and Safety through
  DirtGlue Additives
• Applications and their Effectiveness
• Cost Competitiveness
• A Look Ahead

3
Simple Rule

• Wherever there is a construction site, military
  operation,or just disturbed soil,whenever soil
  is being moved orequipment is being used on
  un-sealed surfaces,wind and water erosion as
  well asdust problems occur.

4
Key Figures

• 6 billion tons of soil washed or blown away each
  year(exceeding the Dust Bowl years of the
  1930s)
• Constantly 38 million acres at risk to wind or
  water erosion
• A total of 1.5 million miles of unpaved roads in
  the U.S. (53 of all roads)
• 3.8 million acres of public roads (not including
  parking lots, farm lanes, private roads, etc.)

5
What is Dust?

• Small particles (0.5 to 50 µm)
• Inorganic (sand, salt, stone dust, fly ash,
  etc.)or
• Organic (coal dust, grain dust, sawdust, etc.)

6
Sources of Dust

• Wind-blown dust from exposed surfaces such as
  bare land and construction sites
• Dust caused by vehicle/equipment movement along
  un-sealed roads
• Military operations
• Mines and quarries
• Roads works
• Land development (residential, commercial and
  military)
• Agriculture and forestry activities

7
Dust Problem (1)

• Human health issues

- irritation in upper respiratory tract with
dust particles 2.5 µm- damage of epithelial
cells in lung and potential infiltration into
bloodstream with dust particles additional health risks for people that suffer
from asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, or other
respiratory conditions- potential health
problems for infants, children, the elderly and
pregnant women.
8
Dust Problem (2)

• Operational issues

- increases safety hazards- additional
equipment maintenance- reduces mission
success- unnecessary training delays-
potential malfunction of electronic and other
equipment
9
Dust Problem (3)

• Environmental issues

- contaminates groundwater and edible crops-
stunts growth of vegetation- sediments reduce
habitat of aquatic life, ultimately affecting
the entire food chain- loss of valuable soil
10
Unsatisfactory Quick Fix (1)

• Water

- extremely short-term solution- must be
applied repeatedly to counter evaporation-
waste of natural resource- labor intensive-
no stabilization capabilities
11
Unsatisfactory Quick Fix (2)

• Chlorides or Salt Brines

- short-term control- leads to saline
contamination of groundwater and death to plant
life- causes corrosion of equipment- will
wash out with rain - little stabilization
capabilities
12
Unsatisfactory Quick Fix (3)

• Petroleum Products (motor oil, cut-back asphalt)

- minimizes re-suspension of fine dust
particles - leads to heavy contamination of
groundwater and surface streams- already
prohibited in many states
13
A Better Solution

• Sustainable, durable, environmentally safe dust
  suppression and sediment control by application
  of acrylic polymer technology

14
Proactive Approach is Preventing the Problem at
the Source

• Bonds individual soil particles together making
  them too large to move either by wind or water
  erosion
• TSS is minimized
• PM10 and PM2.5 is significantly reduced
• Sustainable protection over a considerable period
  of time

15
Polymers in the Erosion Control Industry

• Two main types used in erosion and soil
  stabilization industry
• Vinyl Acetates (PVAs, VAEs) and co-polymers
  (mixed blends of emulsions)
• Latex/Acrylic based emulsions

16
Main drawbacks of vinyl based emulsions

• Little to no UV-protection
• Hard to maintain as a hard surface
• High water absorption (20-40) even after
  extended curing
• Water swollen polymer results in soft and weak
  film/crust
• Weaker bond than acrylic films
• Only short-term effect no sustainability

17
How does Acrylic Polymer Technology Work for Soil
Stabilization?

• Material Characteristics- Polymer is long chain
  and high molecular weight material
• Sustainability- Serves as binder to adhere small
  dust particles together- Forms flexible and
  firm surface crust as protection against wind
  and water erosion- Does not deplete natural
  resources
• Safety- As a water-miscible and non-volatile
  product, once cured, polymer does not
  evaporate, wash away in rainy conditions, or
  contaminate the groundwater- It will not leach
  through the soil

18
Advantages

• Environmentally friendly
• Works with indigenous soil/surface materials
• Superior bonding
• Sticks to itself
• All weather stable
• Water insoluble on curing
• Non-toxic / non-hazardous
• Non-corrosive
• Non-flammable

• Stops wind erosion
• Stops water erosion
• Stabilizes surface and/or subsurface
• Reduces or prevents pollution
• Will not leach out of soil
• Available clear or colored

19
Environmental Considerations

• Acrylic polymers have been proven to be
  environmentally safe products.
• Contain no harmful chemical solvents
• Do not emit any volatile organic compounds (VOC)
• Are non-corrosive and non-flammable
• Do not change the pH of the soil
• Have no harmful effects on people, plants,
  animals, fish, or other aquatic life

20
Sustainable Performance through Product Additives
developed by DirtGlue Enterprises

• Excellent film-forming properties over a broad
  temperature range
• Superb adhesion to fine particles, both inorganic
  and organic
• Unusual film strength and flexibility over a wide
  temperature range
• Remarkable chemical, thermal and ultraviolet
  light stability
• Enhanced hydrophobic characteristics

21
Safety Driven Applications

• Treat roads in battle/enemy zones to minimize
  dust clouds making it less easy to track troop
  movements from a distance
• Spray application on large areas where dust
  particle sensitive equipment such as helicopters,
  aircraft, weapons, etc. is being used or stored
  reduces, if not eliminates equipment failures and
  reduces time consuming, unplanned maintenance
• Incorporate DirtGlue polymer emulsions into sand
  or sand bags thereby providing a stable and
  hardened defense

22
More Applications

• Non-traffic surfaces
• Light-duty and heavy-duty traffic surfaces
• Fuel and ammunition supply routes
• Helicopter landing pads
• Road/Trail intersections
• Bivouac areas
• Temporary aircraft taxiways
• Training grounds
• Field compound areas
• Temporary aircraft runways (new or expansion)
• Hardened revetments (more permanency)

23
DirtGlue Applications

• Surface application
• Wind and water erosion control for storage piles
  and other non-traffic surfaces
• Erosion control / bank stabilization
• Dust control on dirt and gravel roads
• Tackifier for hydroseeding process

• Mixed in applications
• Stabilization of driving surfaces
• Pot hole patching
• Resurfacing of worn out asphalt driveways

24
Effectiveness of Acrylic Polymer Technology
Ref. Project DUST, Kern County, CA (Mojave
Desert)
25
Cost Effectiveness

• Long-lasting effectiveness of individual acrylic
  polymer applications compared to traditional
  practices
• Efficient application procedures that provide
  improved productivity of personnel/labor force
• No special equipment (read investment) needed
  for successful applications. Standard
  construction/landscaping equipment sufficient.
• Environmental compliance reduces risk of
  penalties or costly delays on construction sites

26
Further Product Developments based on Acrylic
Polymer Technology

• Pot hole repair in connection with DirtGlue
  Catalyst that allows applications at low
  temperature and provides fast curing
• Coal pile / ash stabilization
• Concrete Sealer

27
Conclusion

• Fugitive dust and erosion are some of the most
  pressing problems on any disturbed soil in the
  United States
• Traditional practices produce only limited
  success and short-term effect
• Acrylic Polymer Technology is a base for superior
  solutions
• DirtGlue polymer additives and refined
  application technology yield sustainable
  performance and safety
• New Technology is cost competitive compared to
  traditional practices
• A variety of additional applications are being
  developed