As bicyclists, motor vehicle operators, and pedestrians, we like to see our streets kept clean of oil, grime, dirt, and debris. This is why street sweeping service is understated, but important. Here’s 10 quick facts about why road sweeping services are the most underrated service in the community.
1. Sweeper trucks can remove several tons (around 5,000 pounds) of debris a year from city streets.
2. Road sweeping services minimize pollutants in city water by keeping debris out of storm water runoff, which could include oil, grease, chemicals, vehicle emissions, and heavy metals.
3. Street sweeper trucks reduce urban flooding by lowering the amount of debris that ends up in storm water runoff.
4. Parking lot sweeping is good for cities, too: pollution in parking spots alone in the United States accounts for up to between $4 billion and $20 billion in health and environmental damage costs each year.
5. Sweeping in parking lots helps business look clean and appealing to consumers; when parking lots are regularly swept, painted parking lot lines stay bright longer and the storefront looks more inviting.
6. Street sweeping service is a booming market; it employs almost 120,000 people in the United States, in about 10,000 companies. Maintenance of American roads generates over $40 billion in revenue for the nation annually.
7. Street sweeping is good for agricultural areas. Harmful pesticides that can be spilled, dripped, or otherwise left behind on roads in agriculture based cities can get into storm water runoff or ingested by children or animals. Regular road maintenance eliminates even microscopic pollutants.
8. Street sweeping service is good for cold weather areas, too. Road salt has wearing and adverse effects on concrete; in order to prolong the life of the roads in climates where snow–and, thusly, road salt–is common, street sweepers are essential in removing the salt residue off of city streets, not just in the spring, but throughout the winter.
9. Street sweeping is important in rainy climates. Cities that get a lot of precipitation, whether it rain or snow, experience more water runoff than cities in drier climates. More water runoff means more water pollution for the city, unless they utilize street sweeping service.
10. Street sweepers aren’t what you think they look like. Modern sweepers are machines mounted onto truck bodies that can easily maneuver city traffic while keeping the roads we use clean.
