Dust control specification and standard can be utilized to be compliant with state and local government development requirements.

Dust control practices reduce the potential for construction activities and normal operations to generate dust from disturbed soil surfaces. Construction sites can have large areas of soil disturbance and open space from which wind can pick up dust particles. Additionally, operational sites with truck traffic can also have large areas of soil disturbance and open space from which wind can pick up dust particles if not designed correctly. Airborne particles pose a threat to human health and can become a nuisance for nearby residents. Dust from construction sites increases the levels of particle air pollution, which can contribute to respiratory health problems and create inhospitable working environments.

Dust control measures apply to any construction site or operational site where trucking is a regular occurrence where major soil disturbances or heavy equipment construction activities— such as clearing, excavation, demolition or excessive vehicle traffic—occur. Earthmoving activities, particularly transport of cut and fill materials, are the major source of dust from construction sites (Muleski et al., 2005), but traffic and general disturbances can also be significant contributors (WA Dept. of Ecology, 1992).

Dust control measures are especially important in arid or semiarid regions, where soil can become extremely dry and vulnerable to transport by high winds. The most effective dust control measures for a site depend on its topography and land cover, soil characteristics, and expected rainfall.