ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF STONE CRUSHER’S DUST

1 Dr. R.N. Sahu, Department of Civil Engineering, S.S.V.P.S.’s B.S.D.College of Engineering, Dhule M.S
2 S.C. Gupta, Department of Civil Engineering, S.S.V.P.S.’s B.S.D.College of Engineering, Dhule M.S

ABSTRACT
Geoenvironmental hazards of any area are related to the inherent Geological, Geomorphologic setting and exogamic
processes of anthropogenic nature. The anthropogenic activities such as quarrying and related operations have
caused detrimental impact on the environment by defacing the natural landscape, deforestations, lowering of water
table, air and noise pollution. The need of dimensional stones, quarried blocks, and of course aggregates has
tremendously increased due to bust of urbanization. Due to indiscriminate crushing of stones forms dust clouds all
over the area in the vicinity of the crushers caused air pollution and creates health hazards for people and animals
and affect on other natural resources. This paper deals with the pollution caused y stone crusher’s dust, possible
remedial measures and use of the same as a recycled material, so sustainability of material will be maintained.

KEYWORDS: Geo-environmental hazards, anthropogenic activities, crusher dust, coarse aggregate,

deforestation, concrete.

INTRODUCTION

During earlier days it was said that “India resides in villages” but now a days trend is reverting and it is
seen that the urbanization is taking place on a very fast pace. Urbanization needs construction material and these are
obtained from the near by area without considering for environmental impact on human being knowingly or
unknowingly. The construction materials, which needed at all the stages of construction of any Civil Engineers
projects, are dimensional stone, quarrying stones and aggregates. During crushing of stones into the aggregates huge
quantity of dust generated.
This cases pollution to the neighboring area and also where it dumps as waste material and creates health
hazard to the human being, animals and adverse affects on the growth of the crops in the vicinity.

PRODUCTS OF STONE CRUSHER

Concrete is an important construction material for any type of Civil Engineering project. The ingredients of
the concrete are sand, cement, stone ballast and water. Stone ballast (coarse aggregate) is an important material for
the concrete. It acts as main filler, and form the main bulk of concrete, around the surface of which the binding
material above in the form of film. Broken stone of Granite, basalt, quartzite, stand stone etc are generally used as
coarse aggregate.
Aggregate is generally obtained by crushing rock blocks (boulders and more size) in crushers. The crushed
stone pieces are then sieved through shivers and graded into different size. (Less than 12.5 mm, 20 or 25mm and
40mm and above). The 40mm and above size is the waste material and again used in the crushers as a row material
or used for other propose. 20 or 25mm size of the stone used as aggregate in the concrete and is the main product of
stone crusher.
The material having particle size less than 12.5mm is known as stone crusher’s dust. It consists particles
ranging from clay size particles to the 12.5mm. size particle. It is considered as waste material and does not use on
large scale for any activity. The huge quantity of stone dust is produced during crushing of the stones. The quantity
of dust so produced is generally depends on the type of rock crushed. Fresh and tough rock will produce less amount
of dust while partially weathered and soft rocks will produce large amount of dust.

GEOENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

The terrain is vulnerable to natural disasters and any development activity, without considering its impact
would jeopardize its stability, which in tern would lead to server social problems.
The natural hazards of any area comprise soil erosion, seismology and major/ minor landslide, flood and
water logging. The major anthropogenic hazards are land degradation and hill scarification due to quarrying,
siltation of reservoirs. The quarrying and related operations have caused detrimental impact on the environment by
defacing the natural landscape, deforestation, lowering of water table, less productivity of crops and air and noise
pollution.
a) Soil Erosions The soil erosion is mainly due to uncontrolled runoff and other anthropogenic activities such as
urbanization and deforestation. The soil loss is more rapid on the steep slopes because of the high velocity imparted
to the runoff. In area protected by forest/vegetation there is a partial balance and the soil loss by rain/rill wash is low.
Deforestation, roads and quarries are caused excessive soil erosion. Following methods may be suggested to prevent
check soil erosion.
1. Continuous contour binding.
2. Plantation of fast growing trees.
3. Agro-forestry and horticulture
4. Water harvesting by creating small bunds.
5. Loose boulder check damp in control run off.
6. Land degradation
Land degradation is a large extent is taking place because of human activities. Man is the only component of
the eco-system, which causes maximum damage. In reality, the effect of humanity on the eco-system since the dawn
of the modern era has so much increased that it has now become a bio geo-chemical factor it self. The over
exploitation of land and other natural resources by disproportionate human and animal population is at the root of
wide spread land degradation and non-sustainability of an ecosystem.
The unsystematic quarrying activities are not only degrading the land but also disturbing the ecosystem of
environment.
DUST AS A POLLUTION

To accommodate large quantity of coarse stone aggregate during the crushing, the conveyors carry their aggregates
to some height and then dump on the ground. During this process fine dust like particles form a dust cloud all over
the area in the vicinity of the crushers causing air pollution and in terns creates health hazard for human beings and
animals. The dust cloud affect the day vision and create difficulty to drive the vehicle even accident may occur. The
slow setting ratio of dust particles crated due to indiscriminate crushing operation blows with the air and create
pollution in the nearly settlements. Their dust particles when settled on the ground severely affected the soil, land
degradation, soil erosion and lose of vegetation.
The problem of waste dump of crusher stone dust is also affect the soil, vegetation, ground water and other
anticipated problem.
Large quantity of water is required for quarrying and processing of dimensional stones and the requirement
of their operation is met through pumping of ground water, which also creates tremendous pressure on the available
resources and affects water table.

REMEDIAL MEASURES

In order to combat the environmental degradations due to the indiscriminate quarrying and crushing of stone, it is
necessary take up the following remedial measures for reducing the problems.
1. Wind – shields may be used.
2. Proper selection of sites for the crushing stone. Sites should be away from the habitation and water
reservoirs.
3. Crushers must be installed at least 6-7 km away from the cities/towns in the direction in which wind
blows.
4. Plantation should be done near the location of the stone crushers.
5. As far as possible sites should be location where humility is more.
6. Dust should not be dumped indiscreetly any where in the vicinity. Site should be located first where the
hazard is minimum for the soil.
7. Dust may be used for filing the low-lying area.
8. It may be used as artificial land in the sand scarcity area such as Deacon trap of India.

CONCLUSION

Impact of crusher’s stone dust on environment in general and human being particular may
minimum by taking above remedial measures.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We expresses our sincere thank to the organizing committee of the National Conference for selecting and inviting us
to present the paper. We are very thankful to our Director Dr. S.V. Deodhar for according permission and his
guidance and encouragement during writing the paper.

REFERENCE

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3. Rajendra Kumar, T.P. Upadhyay, S. Raju and J.S. Mehta (2003), Geoenvironmental appraisal of Jhansi District
of Bundelkhand Region, Uttar Pradesh, Journal of E-4, Vol. XXX, No. 1-4, PP-79-84.