Parking Lot Flushing: Why Clean A Parking Lot?

There is no denying that the presence of so much vehicle and people within a place like the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) accounts for dust, debris and dirt to be continuously present if cleaning is not done at a regular basis. While Ontario may have some transit operators that are used to transport people from the suburban areas to the downtown are, many still possess their own vehicles, which they often leave in parking lots.

What many do not actually see is the pollutant that comes from parking lots. These pollutants are normally a combination of dust, dirt, sand and soil with the hydrocarbon emissions from the vehicles' exhausts. The combinations of these elements are quite toxic once they enter the storm drainage and make their way into the main lines which contain clean water. This also affects the natural waterways and environment that has an adverse impact on the wildlife.

Parking lot flushing is a vital part of cleaning dirt roads and pavements especially after a very dry season, a strong rainfall, a storm or when the snow thaws after the cold winter months and spring begins. The dust, slush, mud and muck that are usually left behind after each seasonal spell must be cleaned out by water. In the case of parking lots, a parking lot flushing is needed to make way for vehicles and to keep them safe during the parking hours.

Parking lot flushing eliminates the possibility of having a damage vehicle due to dirt and debris that are not properly removed from the pavements. Like any other forms of cleaning, parking lot flushing must be done at regular intervals to keep the place in good condition. Should trimmings, leaves and twigs be present it is advisable that these be swept up first before parking lot flushing is implemented. This is to reduce the entry of any debris into the storm drains that may accumulate eventually, clogging up the drainage system.

Since the parking lot is small in area compared to roads or streets which are likewise cleaned through flushing, daily sweeping is required to eliminate small stones, sand and grime. Some of these natural elements when combined with the oils and lubricant spills from vehicles usually become hardened solids that stick to the parking lot's pavement. Once this is not removed immediately, it will be difficult to remove them and could scar a vehicle's tires after sometime. So cleaning the parking lot everyday by sweeping and at regular intervals with water flushing eliminates the presence of hardened solids and dirt on the parking lot.

A parking lot could be feasibly cleaned everyday because of its limited space or area, and does not necessarily need trained personnel to do work. It does not even require high tech machines because a typical or regular hose which have a special form of nozzle spray could be used for the parking lot flushing activity.

Water flush cleaning methods are not really considered to be complete since most of the materials that are swept away by the water are deposited on top of drainages or at the sides of sidewalks. Flush cleaning needs to be coupled with broom sweeping to properly remove big debris like twigs, branches, etc.

Consequently, the habitual cleaning will eventually reduce such pollutants and deposits that go into the storm drainage systems, keeping natural waterways and clean water mains reasonably safe for public and wildlife consumption.

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