The North Texas Municipal Water Department (NTMWD) has successfully improved air quality and workplace safety at its waste and recycling transfer terminals, thanks to the implementation of BossTek’s advanced atomized mist technology. The initiative, which has garnered positive feedback from both workers and nearby communities, is part of NTMWD’s commitment to maintaining high environmental standards.
Initially, NTMWD installed two DustBoss DB-30 Injektor mist cannons at one of its terminals. These units proved highly effective in reducing dust emissions during the offloading of construction and demolition (C&D) and municipal solid waste (MSW). This installation also included an odor control dosing attachment, ensuring compliance with air quality regulations and enhancing the work environment.
“The installation of DustBoss units has significantly upgraded our safety measures,” said Mike Friesen, Assistant Deputy of Solid Waste for NTMWD. “From now on, any new transfer station will include a DustBoss as part of its original design.”
NTMWD provides solid waste disposal services to 930,000 people across five cities—Allen, Frisco, McKinney, Plano, and Richardson—as well as Collin County and surrounding areas. Solid waste collected from residents and businesses is delivered to one of three transfer stations. These enclosed facilities, two located in Plano and one in Richardson, process up to 3,370 tons of waste per day, including both MSW and C&D waste.
At these stations, refuse is deposited onto a 33,000 square-foot tipping floor. Front-end wheel loaders then push the piles towards a 15-foot wide, 60-foot long opening where the waste drops into a loadout tunnel, ready for collection by open-top transfer trailers. Recycling materials are separated and piled for pickup.
One of the main dust emission points occurs during the initial waste drop-off, where hydraulic lifts from garbage trucks create thick clouds of dust. The sorting and pushing of materials by wheel loaders further exacerbate the problem, causing dust to become airborne.
To address this, the DustBoss DB-30 Injektor units were mounted approximately 10 feet above the tipping floor, maximizing their coverage. Each unit features a stainless steel barrel and a 7.5 HP fan that generates 8,000 CFM (226.50 CMM) of air flow. Water, filtered through a 30 mesh 595-micron system, is mixed with an odor neutralizer before being atomized through 30 nucleating nozzles. This setup produces millions of fine droplets that effectively capture dust particles.
The units, with a throw of 30 meters and adjustable vertical settings between 0-50 degrees and a 70-degree oscillation range, cover an area of 6,100 square feet. Operators can control the mist cannons via a touch screen interface, allowing precise adjustments for varying operational conditions.
Friesen emphasized the dual benefits of the system, stating, “The dynamic of creating a mist of dosed atomized droplets made this a highly effective method for both dust and odor control. We can see the dust being pulled from the air and dragged to the ground before it reaches air intakes or exhaust vents.”
The cannons use a booster pump fed by a city water source, significantly reducing water consumption compared to traditional methods. Instead of using up to 1500 gallons per minute (gpm) from hydrants, the DustBoss system uses only about 7 gpm, minimizing pooling and standing water.
Recently, the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) awarded NTMWD the Safety Award for Biggest Safety Improvement, citing the DustBoss units as a key factor. “Our experience with the machines and BossTek’s service has been excellent,” concluded Friesen.