Aggregates Manager Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/420189
Maintaining good relationships with neighbors OPERAT D ust, noise, and truck traffi c are all part of aggregate production. Unfortunately, these things can become the basis for serious issues with neighbors if not addressed properly. Quick, positive action can make the diff erence between creating good community relations and ending up on the wrong side of a court hearing. "When customers come to see us about dust control, we fi nd that they really do want to be good neighbors," says Laura Stiverson, general manager at Dust Control Technology. "It's important to them to try to prevent dust from leaving their sites." ere are many ways to prevent dust from travelling beyond an operation's boundaries. Dust control options range from the use of water trucks on haul roads to using dust- suppression systems or totally enclos- ing transfer points and conveyor systems. Some options, however, are as simple as location. "At our Spy Hill Quarry, we pulled the scale a few hundred meters into the plant," says Vedat Ulugtekin, gen- eral manager for Lafarge Aggregates in the Greater Calgary area in Alberta, Canada. "When trucks leave the scalehouse, the long road out allows them to drop most of their hanging dust before leaving our property." e location of the processing plant can also make a diff erence when it comes to noise. If placed in the pit, below ground level, noise can be kept within the confi nes of the pit. Berms planted with trees and vegetation can help contain noise, as well. Truck traffi c can be an issue for many communities near operations, but this problem can be dealt with successfully, according to Jason Conner, corporate environmental director for North Carolina-based Hedrick Industries. "Customer trucks are hauling out of our quarries all the time," he says. "We ask the drivers to be respectful of the people in the surrounding neighborhoods. We want the drivers to realize that, if this was their home, they'd want to be treated the same way. We remind them that they wouldn't have a job without the quarry, so the more respectful they are of our neighbors, the longer it will be in operation." Good relationships start with good communication and open doors. It's not really possible to be out of sight and out of mind anymore. Who would really want to be? e aggregate operations with the best community relations are those that embrace their neighbors and listen to their needs and concerns. "We want people to come in," says Joel Nickel, general manager of Envi- ronmental and Land Services at Ag- gregate Industries Management Inc. " We don't want to be the company behind the berm. We want to be part of the community so that, if there is a concern, they come to us fi rst before going to town offi cials." AGGREGATES MANAGER Best results come when aggregate producers maintain open com- munication with the surrounding community. It's important to invite neighbors into the operation so they can see what goes on there. When they know what's happening behind the berms, it helps to keep rumors and suspicions at bay. Many aggregate producers have community advisory councils that meet one or more times a year. At these meetings, the producers can share plans for the coming year and community representatives can ask questions and voice any concerns. Noise can be a problem for many communities. Whether caused by heavy truck traffi c, mobile equipment, or the processing plant, noise should be kept below acceptable levels, if at all possible. Berms provide a natural noise barrier around the perimeter of an operation, especially if they are vegetated, but noise produced in the processing plant is another story. In those cases, some operations have built noise barriers and attached them to the equipment. 1 Open communication is key 4 Keep noise levels to a minimum