Fugitive Dust: Managing Risk through Strategic Planning, Mitigation, and Monitoring

After participating in this course, you will be able to:

• Explain the fundamentals of fugitive dust, including particulate matter size fractions (PM₁₀ and PM₂.₅) and their health and environmental impacts
• Interpret legislation and regulatory requirements governing fugitive dust management and environmental compliance
• Identify and assess fugitive dust sources and risks across construction, mining, aggregates, site remediation, and heavy industrial operations
• Develop and implement effective fugitive dust management and control plans that mitigate off‑site impacts and meet regulatory standards
• Manage monitoring, documentation, and reporting requirements related to fugitive dust issues across a variety of projects

Description:

Fugitive dust management is a critical consideration for large infrastructure projects, site remediation activities, mineral extraction, and many large industrial operations. Poorly controlled fugitive dust can result in regulatory non-compliance, project delays, environmental harm, and impacts to health and safety.

The primary tool for managing off-site fugitive dust is the development and implementation of a dust management and control plan, which is typically submitted to regulators for review and approval. This course provides participants with a practical understanding of how fugitive dust is generated, how risks are assessed, and how effective dust management strategies are developed and implemented.

Drawing on experience from a variety of dust control projects, this course applies concepts in a case study format to support the development of practical, defensible dust management plans. Participants are encouraged to bring forward their own case studies or problems for discussion; where this is not possible, prepared case scenarios are provided.

Who Should Attend

This course is designed for professionals involved in environmental management, regulatory compliance, and project execution, including:

• Environmental Managers and Coordinators
• Engineers
• Scientists and Technicians
• Corporate and Project Managers
• Facility Managers and Plant Superintendents
• Consultants and Contractors
• Regulatory Personnel

The Basics of Particulate Matter

• Size fractions - TPM, PM₁₀ and PM_2.5
• Relative importance
• Composition (metals, silica, and other air toxics)
• Legislative and health aspects

Mechanisms for Generation & Transport

• Science of airborne dust
• Factors that influence dust generation and propagation, such as weather conditions and wind patterns, site layout, local terrain, and moisture content

Sector Sources

• Infrastructure construction and demolition
• Site Remediation
• Mining and aggregates
• Heavy Industry – metals, cement

Source Quantification

• Source silt content measurement, emission factors
• Metals, semi-volatiles, and respirable silica
• Source apportionment

Case Study – Part 1 Sources

Impact Assessment

• The concept model
• Health and ecological risk assessment
• Ambient monitoring networks
• Dispersion modelling – benefits, problems and pitfalls

Mitigation

• Dust management vs dust control
• Management activities
• Dust suppression

Case Study – Part 2 Impact Assessment

Monitoring

• Inspection and monitoring protocols
• Instrumentation – discussion and examples
• Action levels, data management, and reporting

Putting it All Together

• The dust management and control plan
• Complaint response
• Discussions with the regulator

Case Study – Part 3 Dust Management and Monitoring