The advanced chemical properties of Guardian Roadbinder increase compaction, achieve dust suppression and reduce water usage when mixed into or sprayed on road materials.

Silica dust inhalation is a risk for workers on mining, quarrying, civil and construction projects.

Diseases such as silicosis, lung cancer and kidney failure can eventuate when workers are exposed to the dust over long periods of time or even short periods at high levels.

To combat the risk of silica dust exposure, Reynolds Soil Technologies (RST) Solutions creates dust suppressant solutions for road applications that also have stabilisation, erosion control and water or sediment improving properties.

Its products help to keep workers safe on site by protecting them from fugitive dust, including silica dust. Treating the roads and surrounding materials with the solution helps to suppress dust when moving materials in road-based applications.

Guardian Roadbinder is RST Solution’s latest chemical advancement, designed for haul and light vehicle road applications.

The solution works to not only suppress dust, but increase compaction and reduce water use and permeability while increasing the pavement’s strength.

Guardian Roadbinder was tested throughout last year and recently released.

RST Solutions Operations and Technical Director David Handel says it has been creating road solutions for over 30 years and Guardian Roadbinder is a step into a new era.

“Our Guardian Roadbinder uses a polymer technology with a different branch of chemical added. It is diluted and made into a solution so it can be mixed into the road materials and compacted, or we can topically spray it,” Mr. Handel says.

The ability for customers to decide the dosage amount of Guardian Roadbinder is one of the product’s unique aspects.

By drip feeding the product into a continual watering suppression program, Mr. Handel says the amount of water needed to achieve dust control efficiency is reduced.

“If you lift the dosage rate up and continue to put more product in, the user can achieve a further reduction in re-watering surfaces. By adding even more, you could have a dust suppression level that does not require re-watering.”

When blended into a road mix or topically sprayed, the solution’s chemical make-up suppresses more dust than a plain water spray.

Guardian Roadbinder includes the same physical modifications as RST Solution’s original road stabilising product, RT20, but also uses chemical binding properties.

“When you disperse the fines and then compact the mix, the chemicals act as lubrication and allow the particles to slip closer together. It creates a tighter, denser material that you can’t achieve by using plain water,” Mr. Handel says.

He adds water savings are a significant concern for remote companies struggling to access enough water to achieve dust control.

Guardian Roadbinder’s chemical make-up enables the compaction moisture to disperse quickly and break the surface tension with significantly less water.

“During construction, companies may have to fill five carts per 1000 metres, which takes a huge amount of time to fill up and travel back,” Mr. Handel says.

Guardian Roadbinder also does not require extra equipment or steps during production.

“You simply put the product into the compaction moisture or water. There are no curing times. It is just standard process with an additive put into it,” Mr. Handel says.

“As a topically applied road dust suppressant, results have been outstanding and our clients love its versatility.

“Throughout development I knew the Guardian product was special.”

He says the company’s success is based upon continual improvement and the Guardian Roadbinder is an exciting innovation.