Dust nuisance can be a major issue during construction work, from activities such as excavation, demolition, burning, and vehicles using roads.
Certain measures can be used to reduce the likelihood of causing a dust nuisance, including:
- the use of wheel wash facilities for vehicles entering and leaving the site
- water spraying of haul roads and stockpiles
- reducing vehicle speeds on haul roads
- covering stockpiles if in place for a long time
- sheeting the tops of vehicles carrying dusty materials
- using sealed or sheeted containers/skips for waste materials
- erecting barriers or sheeting around works
- using enclosed chutes or conveyors to transfer materials
- using odour and dust arrestment plant, such as masking agents, scrubbers and filters.
Advice and guidance is available to the construction industry and members of the public on the Considerate constructors scheme website.
We can investigate odour and dust nuisance from building sites. Conditions relating to dust control are often attached to planning permissions, particularly for large developments.
These are enforced by our planning enforcement team.