Pollution Prevention at your Construction Site
Are you hooked up with construction projects? Are you a contractor, subcontractor, design engineer, developer, architect, construction manager or owner? If so, this article is for you to help prevent pollution at your construction site. These guidelines can be used during all stages of construction projects at your site as it is the best time to begin using these suggestions, before project is bid.
So, what are the risks? The risk to the environment is critically high when work is done near coastal regions, streams and creeks, or along a river valley. If your construction site is near built-up areas, poor practices may pollute the air and also increase noise pollution which may cause annoyance and affect the health of neighbouring communities.Construction bad practices can cause damage to waterways and wetlands, kill fish, bummed out aquatic ecological systems and wildlife communities, and aftermaths are the contamination of land with groundwater and much more.
Here are the 10 best tips for you on how to implement sound practices that minimise environmental impacts, eliminate health risks and nuisance to residents near your construction site.
- Preserve the Existing Vegetation
• Reduce the amount of the exposed soil
• Identify and protect areas where existing vegetation, such as trees, will not be disturbed by construction works
• Protect streams, stream barriers, wild wood lands, wetlands, or other sensitive areas from any disturbance or construction activity by fencing or otherwise
2.Control Construction Activities
• Sequence all the construction activities so that the soil is not exposed for long time
• Limit grading to small areas
• Install key sediment control practices before site grading starts
• Schedule site stabilization activities
3.Clear Construction Doorsteps
•Remove mud and dirt from the tires of construction vehicles before they enter a paved roadway
• Make sure that the construction entrance doesn’t become buried in soil
4.Implement a Robust Fencing
• Maintain and check silt fences after each storm
• Check the bottom of the silt fence
• Attach the material properly to the stakes
• Don’t place silt fences in the middle of a waterway
• Storm water should not flow around the silt fence
5.Enable a Strong Drain Protection
• Use rock or other appropriate material to mask the storm drain inlet to filter out trash and debris.
• Make sure the rock size is proper or not (usually 1 to 2 inches in diameter)
• Maintain inlet filters regularly
6.Vegetative Buffers
•Protect and install vegetative buffers along water bodies that slow and filter the storm water run-off.
• Always maintain buffers by mowing or replanting periodically to ensure their efficacies.
7.Stabilization the Site Properly
•Vegetate and stabilize all exposed areas as soon as land alterations have been completed
8.Containment and Equipment Fuelling
• Use as much as possible offsite fuelling stations
• Try to create dedicated fuelling areas onsite
• Eradicate “topping-off” of fuel tanks
• Dedicated fuelling areas always should be in level
• Implement downstream drainage facilities and watercourses
• Protect fuelling areas with berms and dikes to prevent run on, run-off, and to contain spills.
• Use vapour recovery nozzles with automatic shutoffs to control drips as well as air pollution.
9.Implement Waste Management System
• Use concrete washout facilities, especially when your operations are near water resources
• Containers should be big enough to handle solids
• Choose smaller, covered containers for different tasks
• Don’t allow waste to cover your entire site
• Your site should separate recyclable materials from waste and keep those covered
• Start visual inspections of dumpsters
• Initiate recycling bins
• Keep containers covered
10.Fugitive Dust Suppression
•Always apply water on haul roads
•Use properly taped or sealed containers
The construction industry has embraced the use of technology for businesses which are easy to learn and use with a significant role in pollution control. One of the key technological advantages for the industry is construction project management software. It drastically reduces the amount of paper use which is considered to be the reason of soil and water pollution. The software is specially designed for the AEC professionals so that you can go paperless.
