A well-executed street sweeping program minimizes the dirt washed into streets, gutters and storm drains. This can lead to cleaner yards, less dust blown into homes and less dirty furnace filters and ducts.

Regular sweeping of sidewalks and roadways also helps prevent slip-and-fall accidents. A clean area is also more attractive to residents and shoppers.

Cleanliness

Keeping streets clean not only enhances the appearance of a city but also reduces the risks of health and environmental problems. Dust is one of the main contributors to air pollution, and regular street sweeping Everett significantly lowers dust levels in neighborhoods.

Sweeping picks up visible pollutants and removes harmful toxins that can get washed into storm drains and carried to our rivers, lakes and streams. Street sweeping is widely accepted as the best practice for preventing these contaminants from reaching our waterways.

Residents can help by knowing the monthly sweeping schedule and moving vehicles, basketball hoops or other toys from their street parking spot when it is being swept to allow for the proper operation of the sweeper. In addition, residents can keep their sidewalks clear of trash, debris and other items to prevent them from being swept into the street. This will allow the street sweeper to more easily hug the curb and complete its job efficiently.

Safety

The purpose of street sweeping is to remove debris from the surface of streets and roadways, especially those areas closest to private property. Street sweeping is also important to remove harmful substances that would otherwise wash down storm drains, streams, and waterways.

A good sweeping program focuses on the area of the street where the greatest amount of debris accumulates, usually near curbs. A broom machine’s ability to pick up trash is highly influenced by forward speed, with optimum performance occurring at speeds close to 5 miles per hour.

Several researchers have pioneered controlled street sweeper pickup performance testing to provide a “Consumer Reports” document for street sweepers that public works and stormwater managers can use for selection and specifications purposes. These tests typically involve a paved test strip with a known initial loading, a timed forward sweeping operation, and before and after sampling to obtain particle-size-specific pickup performance parameters (Sutherland, 1997).

Cleanliness for Business

Since sanitation became a priority for urban areas, people have been sweeping debris from roads and alleys. During the 19th century, mechanical street sweepers were developed to remove garbage and other waste. These machines would vacuum the debris into containers to be hauled away.

EPA studies have demonstrated that the sweeping process reduces the pollutants washed from urban streets and carried downstream by stormwater runoff to receiving waters (Sutherland, 1997). A good sweeping program focuses on reducing the mass of the highly-contaminated small-micron fraction of accumulated street dirt that poses significant air-quality concerns.

In the past, this author called for accurate sweeper pickup performance testing by an independent third party using realistic loadings and operational characteristics on a measured, curbed test track with at least fair pavement conditions. This type of unbiased testing could provide stormwater and public works personnel with a Consumer Reports-type document, allowing them to select the best sweeper for their needs or develop specifications for contract street sweeping services.

Cleanliness for the Environment

Aside from the aesthetic aspect, regular street sweeping also reduces environmental pollution. Picking up debris and contaminant material decreases the amount of pollutants washed off roads into stormwater drains, which then flow to rivers and other bodies of water. This can include heavy metals and oil, harming aquatic life and drinking water supplies downstream. It also helps lower air quality concerns by reducing extremely small particles, which can cause respiratory distress.

Street sweeping is an essential part of any property’s waste management program. It keeps residents and patrons safe by preventing slip-and-fall accidents while maintaining the beauty of streets and parking lots. People are more likely to enjoy spending time in a clean area, whether walking along a street or shopping at a retail store. This can boost morale, leading to better business productivity and happier communities for homeowners. Moreover, it is a key factor in avoiding costly lawsuits for negligence-related injuries.