EUnited introduces new PM Test label, RASCO’s SX2 sweeper receives top mark

The new maximum achievable level is now four stars. In the past, up to three stars on the label showed how much a sweeper positively exceeded the test requirements. RASCO’s SX2 sweeper upgrade for Muvo implement carrier vehicles now carries the PM Test label with the maximum four stars.

Fine airborne particles have become a serious threat to the residents in many cities. Such small particles arise out of burning processes (traffic, power plants, waste incineration plants, private and heating systems), abrasion of vehicle tyres, industrial processes as well as out of raised soil material and further natural emission sources. Particulate matter (PM) which could cause respiratory disease has been identified as a major health hazard within the past years. PM10 covers all kinds of particulates with an aerodynamic diameter of up to 10 μm and can get into the human nasal cavity. PM2.5 has a maximum diameter of 2,5 µm and can penetrate the bronchial tubes and pulmonary alveoli.

Through the European Air Quality Directive 2008/50/EC, cities and municipalities must ensure that emission limit values for fine particles are only exceeded on a limited number of days per year. This directive has required a limit value for the exposure concentration of PM10 since 2005. From the beginning of 2015, member states have had to ensure that concentrations of PM2,5 in ambient air do not exceed a specific limit value. This limit will be further reduced in 2020.

Therefore, improving air quality has become a daily challenge for the local authorities and the use of sweepers to curb the amount of dust in public areas is common practice. When procuring their new sweepers, local authorities need a reliable standard to be able to compare the different types of sweepers offered on the market, in terms of absorption of fine particles. As a result, customers continually ask for the EUnited PM Test certificate, and there is a growing demand for validation of PM2.5 absorption performance for sweepers in addition to PM10.

European sweeper manufacturers in EUnited responded to this demand and together began to modify the test procedure and started to test the PM2.5 absorption performance of their sweepers with the target of testing all current sweeper models available on the European market by IFAT 2018.

The test takes place in a controlled environment to avoid the adverse wind and weather exposure, thereby improving the reproducibility. During several test runs, the sweepers sweep a fixed test track, simulating a typical urban street. Defined sweepings are recorded under realistic working conditions, among other things along a curb. Dust reduction systems and water sprays are operated during the test under the settings specified by the manufacturer for the real operations. For each passage, the absorbed amount of dirt is gathered and compared with the dose of sweeping material distributed to the test surface. This is how the sweeping performance of a sweeper is deduced. Before, during and after the test runs, the fine dust concentration is measured and analysed in the enclosed test facility. The quantity of dust stirred up by the sweeping units can thus be determined, as well as that, which ended up in the container or in the filter of the sweeper. The EUnited PM Test method can be used to test truck sweepers and compact sweepers, as well as munted or towed sweepers.

As a sweeper manufacturer and EUnited member, RASCO is committed to verifying and making transparent the PM absorption performance of our machines. Therefore, the SX2 sweeper upgrade made for Muvo vehicles has been subjected to the PM Test. The results placed SX2 in the top class, signifying that the sweeper’s PM2.5 and PM10 emissions are far below the allowed levels. Consequently, the sweeper will from now on carry the PM Test label with the maximum four stars.

On a lighter note, here is the SX2 sucking up some PM100000 crushed asphalt particles. Our own test showed that emissions of such particles from the sweeper into the environment equal – zero.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eneUhccXp6g