Health & Quality of Life
Air Quality
Overview of the air-quality topics covered in depth on Dust & Respirable Crystalline Silica.
60-Second Summary
- MassDEP regulates particulate emissions from construction areas and material handling and transportation.
- Drilling, blasting, crushing, screening, grading, transfer, and hauling can each generate fine particulate matter.
- A baseline and operational air-monitoring plan has not been documented.
Take Action
Help Protect Lakeville
Add your name to the petition asking the Lakeville Select Board to deny and not approve the earth-work permit for the proposed 30 Howland Road earth-removal operation as presently proposed.
Why This Matters in Lakeville
Overview of the air-quality topics covered in depth on Dust & Respirable Crystalline Silica.
What Is Known
The regulatory framework
MassDEP's 310 CMR 7.09 regulates particulate emissions from construction areas and material handling and transportation — dust from an operation like this is a regulated air-pollution issue, not merely an aesthetic complaint.
Key sources
- 310 CMR 7.09 — particulate emissions from construction and material handling — MassDEP
Potential sources
Drilling, blasting (if required), rock breaking, crushing, screening, grading, material transfer, and hauling of silica-containing rock, sand, and gravel can each generate fine particulate matter.
Key sources
- Crystalline silica generation from drilling, blasting, crushing, and material transfer — NIOSH / CDC
What Has Not Yet Been Established
- Laboratory characterization of proposed excavation material
- A baseline and operational air-monitoring plan
Related Pages
Sources
Key sources
- 310 CMR 7.09 — particulate emissions from construction and material handling — MassDEP
- Crystalline silica generation from drilling, blasting, crushing, and material transfer — NIOSH / CDC