Modeling of Pollutants Emission from Asphalt Plant and Crusher Devices of Road Construction Projects (Case study: Sarab – Bostanabad Road)

Asphalt plants are a major part of construction activities. Asphalt factories produce pollution and degradation of the environment. Most of contaminants are produced by crushing operations and hot asphalt production processes. Derived pollutants are carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, sulfur dioxide and suspended particles. In this study, by use of emission factors proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency, United States of America, the amount of pollutants produced was calculated. Then by using AERMOD Model and AERMOD, distribution patterns of these pollutants in the area around the factory for any emissions above for the mean duration of 1, 3, 8 and 24 hours, and period of 1 and 12 months in both scale regional (range 20 20 km squares) and local (range 1 1 km square) were modeled. The amount of these pollutants was then compared with the clean air standards and the EPA's. Comparisons show that production of carbon monoxide and oxides of nitrogen emissions are lower than the national clean air standards and EPA's. The maximum amount of sulfur dioxide emissions, more than the country’s clean air standards, but the maximum amount of this pollutant is less than the EPA standard and maximum particles produced in both controlled and uncontrolled for the average time of twenty-four hours and one year, respectively, about 90 and 287 times greater than the nations clean air standards. Also comparison of maximum concentration for the 24-hour average with the EPA standard shows that the concentration of the pollutant is about 30 times greater than the standard.