A common sight, while travelling along rural unpaved roads, during dry conditions, is the dust being kicked up by vehicle tires. These inconvenient dust clouds are a visibility hazard, causing safety concerns, but furthermore, this dust has far reached consequences such as faster road deterioration, health concerns and environmental impacts.
Impacts of road dust:
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- Low visibility: Increased risk of motor vehicle accidents.
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- Environmental damage and chemical contamination: Dust containing harmful contaminated particles can pollute water, soil, our food and enter our lungs.
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- Health risks: Airborne dust can cause health issues due to inhalation, such as respiratory illnesses, and in some cases serious diseases such as cancer, heart disease and stroke due to prolonged exposure.
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- High maintenance costs: The cost implications to rural community’s maintenance budgets, due to road dust can be significant if not addressed with affective and economical dust suppression methods.
At Forus, we understand that dust suppression isn’t just about comfort and safety—it’s about building roads that last. And the key to controlling dust effectively begins beneath the surface, with a well-stabilized foundation.
Read more about road stabilization and why it matters in our Road Compaction article.
As vehicles drive over the road, the surface materials are crushed into finer particles, which then dry out in dry weather. Without moisture weighing the particles down, and binding them together, they become dust.
As these dust particles are released into the air, they can:
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- Reduce visibility, creating dangerous driving conditions.
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- Lead to respiratory issues for nearby residents and road users.
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- Strip the road of its fine binder particles, weakening the surface and increasing maintenance needs.
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- Pollute nearby ecosystems, especially water sources.
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- Damage property.
Methods of Road Dust Control:
A common method of treating road dust is with the use of Calcium Chloride, which is a type of salt that attracts and holds moisture from the surrounding environment. This treatment is effective in controlling the loose dust particles, by binding them to the road surface, through its ability to retain binding moisture – even in dry conditions.
However, the pros of this treatment method come at a cost. The cons of Calcium Chloride include:
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- Corrosiveness
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- Environmental Concerns
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- Slipperiness
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- Requirement of follow up treatments
Read more about calcium chloride for a a deeper comparison to GRAVELOCK in our Calcium Chloride vs. GRAVELOCK article.
Other alternatives to Calcium Chloride include:
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- Magnesium Chloride – Salt similar calcium chloride which can absorb moisture.
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- Lignin Sulfonate- Forestry byproduct which can absorb moisture.
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- Synthetic Polymers – Man-made compound designed to bind particles together.
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- Enzyme-Based Products – Natural enzymes that strengthen the bond between soil particles.
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- Water – simplest and most common dust abatement method. Creates temporary bond between particles.
Each of these options can play a role in the right scenario, but none perform at their best without proper road preparation! Which is why at Forus, we believe that long-lasting, dust-free roads, start from the foundation.
Our proven, long-term solution at Forus is the following:
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- Stabilize with GRAVELOCK– Our trusted foundation solution that dramatically reduces ongoing maintenance and helps control dust at the source.
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- Apply a dust control surface product – For optimal results, we partner with Sand’s Dust Control to apply a top-layer treatment that lock in surface particles and moisture.
Why this combination works:
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- Less frequent maintenance
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- Stronger resistance to erosion and rutting
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- Consistently cleaner air and safer travel conditions
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- Better overall cost efficiency
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- Eco-friendly and sustainable
While calcium chloride can suppress dust effectively, our decades of tested experience show that a GRAVELOCK-stabilized road paired with a quality surface product, offers longer-term performance with no need for re-application.
Looking Ahead:
This article is part of a growing resource hub from Forus and GRAVELOCK. Next up, we’ll be diving deeper into Calcium Chloride vs. GRAVELOCK, so you can better understand when and where each product fits into your project.
Once that article is live, we’ll link it here to help you continue exploring smart, long-lasting road solutions.
Let’s Build Roads That Last…
At Forus and GRAVELOCK, we combine experience, innovation, and the best materials available to build the strongest, most sustainable roads. Whether you’re planning a rural road, access route, or commercial path, our team is here to guide you from the foundation up.
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- Talk to us today about your project
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- Learn more about GRAVELOCK
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- Explore our partner: Sand’s Dust Control
