Exclusive Distributor for Tembec Dust Suppressant TDS®
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Better Roads with TDS Tembec Dust Suppressant The Natural Choice Overview TDS is a unique product used for dust suppressant, manufactured from a renewable resource — from the vast forestry resources of Tembec Inc. TDS is a valuable co-product of the pulping process, along with other materials such as wood pulp and ethanol. The active components within TDS are called "lignosulphonates" which are derived from the lignin extracted from the wood during the pulping process. Lignin is a naturally occurring polymer, which acts like a "glue" in holding the trees cellulose fibers tightly together. This naturally occurring compound provides an excellent bio-renewable choice for managing roadway dust and providing stabilization. As a wood product TDS is naturally compatible with the environment. It is biodegradable and non-toxic to plants, animals or humans. TDS is non-corrosive and will not attack metals or promote rusting beyond the rate of water. TDS is applied as a liquid and dries to a hard durable surface. When it dries, usually 20 or 30 minutes after application, it binds the fines in your aggregate to the stone. By stabilizing the road surface in this manner, the road surface is maintained in dry weather when available moisture is limited. When it does rain, TDS resurfaces and re-applies itself, returning to a hard surface as it dries. Lignosulphonates have many uses world-wide. In addition to dust suppressants these materials are used as animal feed binders, concrete add mixtures, mineral pelletizers, emulsifiers, dispersants, and carbon black pelletizers. Tembec Inc. supplies these markets by offering safe, effective, consistent, high quality products. Tembec Inc. considers the environmental aspects of TDS a priority and therefore carefully addresses the issues of phytotoxicity (i.e. potential to harm plant life), dioxin levels, and toxicity to humans. Tembec is an ISO 9002 (ISO 14000 is in process) registered company with extensive quality control systems in place to ensure that all products it produces consistently meet or exceed stringent quality and environmental standards.
Process Description Tembec's wood chips are cooked with a mixture of water, ammonia, and sulphur dioxide at a temperature of some 150 deg. C for about 8 hours. Thus, lignin is separated from the wood and becomes part of the cooking liquor. The liquor undergoes a process of further evaporation and fermentation to remove volatile compounds such as methanol and furfural and to produce ethanol. The remaining heavy liquor is finally evaporated to about 50% solids to be sold as a liquid or powder ammonium or sodium based lignosulphonates. (TDS does not come in contact with any of the bleaching process).
Performance TDS provides dust control for gravel roadways by binding the road surface particles together. Water evaporates from the TDS as it dries, and the high viscosity naturally sticky material traps the dust particles. In addition, overtime some of the TDS becomes completely insoluble due to the heat from the sun. TDS increases the load bearing capacity of all soils and creates a hard tightly bound road that increases traction and skid resistant surfaces. By doing so you greatly reduce, or eliminate the need for grading because of wash boarding, potholes and wheel rutting. This means your gravel is staying on the road longer and greatly lowers the gravel budget. The actual performance of TDS will vary with soil conditions, preparation, and weather conditions at the time of application. A good mix of soil particle size and grading will maximize the effectiveness of TDS. It also has a residual effect, which will improve the performance with regular applications.
Product Integrity Tembec have addressed issues and concerns over the use of dust suppressants by conducting extensive testing and analysis of TDS for public record. In particular the following areas have been assessed by independent laboratory analysis;
Phytotoxicity (Plant life) Tembec's lignosulfonates have proven highly effective in laboratory testing and mature markets serving the agricultural industry. Several unique attributes of TDS products actually promote plant growth, emphasizing the safety aspects with respect to plant life surrounding a TDS application site. This is not necessarily the case with all types of dust suppressants utilized.
Dioxin Levels This issue must encompass 3 considerations: Concentration of dioxin, type of dioxin, and total load applied. With the persistence of dioxins in the environment and the increasingly sensitive level of testing available, all materials surrounding us are expected to contain some level of dioxins. TDS currently has a level of ca. 10 parts per quadrillion (ppq). The Ontario Ministry of Environment demands less than 40 ppq. Dioxin is actually a blanket term encompassing approximately 75 varieties of compounds. Of these, TDS contains only trace amounts of the least toxic type 0CDD. This compound is naturally generated and enters the process with wood chips from regions, which have been affected by forest fires.
Toxicity (Humans and Animals) TDS is classified as non-hazardous (VVHIMIS). As a testament to its safety, it is approved by the Canadian Dept. of Agriculture and the U.S. FDA for use as an animal feed binder or liquid animal feed. Nonetheless, as necessary with all substances, it is treated with respect and small splashes are rinsed with water in a timely manner. Toxicity to fish must be considered in the context that TDS is an organic polymer, which biodegrades over a period of time. This process consumes oxygen measured as BOD. Quantities of TDS in waterways may suffocate fish, just as milk or other benign organic substances would.
In summary, No other dust suppressant can boast the safety record of TDS. A combination of the innate
safety of the product in conjunction with the care taken before, during and after its application make it the
Natural Choice for yourself, your roads, and our environment. |
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