Construction Dust Monitoring

Dust from construction sites has the potential to cause nuisance to, and harm the health of neighbours, reduce biodiversity and even damage property. Monitoring dust and other fine particles is an essential step to minimising these impacts.

Dust is generally defined as particulate matter with a diameter of up to 75 microns. Dust is generally separated out into coarser fractions which more readily settle out of the air causing visible dust soiling and nuisance, and fine particulate matter, which has an aerodynamic diameter of less than 10 microns.  For context, this is smaller than the width of a human hair and these finer particles can penetrate deep into the body and can cause adverse health effects.  

It is the responsibility of the contractor to ensure that dust emissions from a construction site are minimised using best practicable means. Major development in busy urban areas and those identified as presenting a medium or high risk of dust impacts in a construction dust risk assessment, will likely require some form of dust monitoring.  Local authorities often secure dust monitoring through planning conditions and S106 agreements, with the scope of monitoring agreed in a construction environmental management plan or dust management plan. 

How long is construction dust monitoring required for?

Construction dust monitoring, or any environmental monitoring, can be expensive and it is understandable that contractors may want to minimise the time where monitors are installed on site.  

It is strongly recommended that an air quality consultant, or other suitably qualified professional, carries out a construction dust risk assessment to identify the phases of construction (e.g demolition, earthworks or construction) that present the highest risk of dust soiling or human health effects. Dust or PM10 monitoring is only generally required where the overall risk of the phase is medium or greater. 

Usually, the demolition phase presents the highest risks of dust impacts, and it is possible, that the local authority may accept a dust monitoring programme that is limited to this period. However, the local authority may want an extended period of monitoring, where there are highly sensitive receptors such as schools and hospitals downwind of a construction site.  In cases such as these, Greenavon often recommends a staged construction dust monitoring programme, where it is scaled back when certain conditions are met (e.g no exceedances of a site action level in a period of time). This approach means that when the ‘dustiest’ activities on site are finished, but the phase is still ongoing, that there is a potential for monitoring to be scaled back. 

It should also be noted that where there is no existing continuous monitoring of PM10 in the local area, local authorities often require a period of baseline dust monitoring. Best practice Institute of Air Quality Management (IAQM) and Greater London Authority (GLA) guidance recommends that, where baseline monitoring is deemed necessary, that is should be carried out for at least three months, to best account for potential seasonal variations in PM10 concentrations.

What type of dust monitor should you choose?

It is important that the monitor chosen to monitor PM10 or PM2.5 has MCERTS certification, as the quality of sensors on the market is variable. MCERTS stands for Measurement Certification Scheme, and it is a certification program in the United Kingdom designed to ensure that environmental measurement equipment and systems meet specific performance and quality standards. The scheme is managed by the Environment Agency in England.

The MCERTS certification process involves rigorous testing and assessment of environmental monitoring equipment, such as instrumentation used for air and water quality monitoring. The goal is to verify that the equipment meets predefined standards for accuracy, reliability, and consistency in measuring various environmental parameters.

By obtaining MCERTS certification, manufacturers and suppliers demonstrate that their monitoring equipment complies with industry standards and regulatory requirements. This helps ensure the accuracy and reliability of environmental data, which is crucial for regulatory compliance and effective environmental management.

In some cases, local authorities may request that passive dust monitoring is undertaken, in place of, or to complement, continuous PM10/PM2.5 monitoring. This type of monitoring is generally undertaken to assess the impact of disamenity dusts, which generally constitute the larger particles that are more readily deposited in the local area.  There is specialist equipment that can be used to measure dust deposition, including frisbee gauges, sticky pads and directional pads. One benefit of this type of measurement is that the samples are collected and can undergo further analysis, such as mass spectrometry, which can help discern their chemical make-up, structure and potential health effects.

What standards are there for dust and PM10 monitoring?

The purpose of dust and PM10 monitoring on construction sites is to prevent nuisance and minimise adverse health effects on neighbours. Whilst there are legally binding standards in the UK for PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations which protect from adverse health effects, there are no legally binding standards which define an unacceptable level of disamenity dust.

Concentrations of PM10 can be an excellent proxy for emissions of disamenity dust and industry guidance has developed a series of ‘site action levels’, based on PM10 concentrations, beyond which additional controls should be put in place to minimise dust emissions. The IAQM’s Guidance on Monitoring in the Vicinity of Demolition and Construction Sites recommends the following site action levels for PM10:

• 190 µg/m3 averaged over a 1-hour period.
• 250 µg/m3 , measured as a 15-minute mean

Contractors will also often set ‘amber’ alerts below the above ‘red’ site action levels. These additional alerts are set up so that contractors can prevent the ‘red’ site action levels being exceeded and any restrictions that may place on on-site activities. Continuous PM10 monitoring allows the contractor to react in real time to minimise dust emissions and the risk of nuisance to neighbours, whilst allowing work to continue uninterrupted.  

On sites where a period of baseline monitoring is undertaken, the measurements there can be used to identify site specific action levels.

What else should be monitored on a construction site? 

Depending on the local conditions, additional pollutants or parameters may need to be monitored. It is also common for PM10 and PM2.5 to be measured alongside wind speed and direction, and other meteorological parameters. This data can help identify particularly dusty activities and high-dust-risk weather conditions.

In Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) and areas of known poor air quality, the monitoring of nitrogen dioxide and other gases may also be required. This is more likely in cases where the construction period is prolonged, in large urban areas and where there are many heavy goods vehicles and non-road mobile machinery (NRMM) on site. There are several councils in London which ask for air quality dust management plans, instead of just dust management plans so that emissions of toxic gases are also minimised in line with best practice. 

Other considerations include noise and vibration, which are often required as part of a wider construction environmental management plan. 

Where should I place my dust monitor?

There is no rule about where dust or PM10 monitors should be placed, and the air quality consultant employed to produce your dust management plan, should offer guidance. It is common for dust monitors to be placed on the boundary of the site or fixed to an adjacent use. Dust monitors are also often placed in a transect parallel to the prevailing wind, with one monitor upwind and the other downwind, of the construction site. With this set-up, the difference in measured concentrations between the two monitors can be used to estimate the construction site’s contribution to local dust levels.

How can Greenavon assist?

Greenavon are experts in dust and air quality management and can provide the full suite of services to support and assist construction dust monitoring, including:

• The provision of dust management plans and construction dust risk assessment.
• Baseline dust monitoring studies tp quantify the concentrations of significant airborne pollutants (PM10 & PM2.5) before the commencement of infrastructure projects. This allows for a precise evaluation of the project’s environmental impact during its active phase.
• Installation and management of MCERTS certified PM10 and PM2.5 monitors.
• Installation and management of sticky pads and depositional gauges.
• Ongoing monthly, weekly or final dust reporting to evidence compliance with standards and best practice.
• Recommendation of appropriate dust mitigation measures. 

If you would like to discuss a particular project and how Greenavon may be able to assist, please do not hesitate to get in touch for a free consultation. 

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