Dust control is working
Surrey Leader
Letter By Alan Fryer, Coal Alliance
November 4, 2013
The results of the Corporation of Delta’s dust monitoring are encouraging and a clear indication that dust control measures by rail carriers and terminals are working.
The sampling results from four different stations in Tsawwassen show the incidence of dust fall was very low and well below dust fall standards – even during the driest July on record. It can be expected that measurements during the cooler and wetter months will be even better.
One monitoring station alongside the rail track did show a higher level of dust over the course of the month compared to other stations, but let’s put that into perspective. During the month the monitoring took place, 362 trains – 48,870 rail cars in all – passed by carrying over two million tonnes of coal.
And what was collected by that monitoring station by the railway amounted to 200 mg of coal, roughly the weight of 20 grains of sand. Again, we would expect results from other months to be lower.
The coal industry has been a key part of B.C.’s economy for decades, supporting tens of thousands of well paying jobs and contributing billions to the provincial economy.
We’re proud of what we do and we work hard every day to do it even better.
Alan Fryer
Spokesperson, Coal Alliance
View the original letter in The Surrey Leader
