Street Sweeping – A Key Strategy for Controlling Pollution in Everett’s Urban Environment

Unsightly debris on city streets can cause people to be less likely to visit your town, invest in business or move their families there. Regular street sweeping helps keep your town clean, which gives people a positive impression of your community.

Residents can help the street sweepers be more efficient by moving vehicles on street sweeping days. 

Debris Removal

Historically, street sweepers have dealt with fine dust particles and larger debris. Fine dust can be carried away by rain runoff and deposited in local waterways — where it pollutes our drinking water. The toxins in these particles, such as petroleum and car fluids, also can contaminate wildlife. Those pollutants are prevented from infiltrating waterways by a well-maintained sweeping operation.

Barriers, such as curbs, also affect the ability of a sweeper to remove dirt. Since 75% of the sediment and pollution cleaned up by a street sweeper is found within 3 feet of a curb, barriers must be in place to reduce how much dirt is left on roads.

Sweeping vehicles require a large amount of clearance to function properly. To ensure that a car can get as close to the curb as possible, sweeping typically occurs in business and commercial districts at night, when most cars are not parked on the streets.

Cleanliness

The most obvious benefit of street sweeping Everett is that it keeps the area clean. This is important for residents’ enjoyment of their homes, patrons’ satisfaction with shopping centers, and the image of the City.

In addition, a clean area is less likely to be the site of slip-and-fall accidents, which can cost property owners thousands of dollars in legal fees.

A street sweeper uses a rotating brush to loosen dirt and dust on the streets, which is then blown onto a conveyor belt and into a bin. The City also performs residential leaf sweeps each fall.

The best way to help the street sweeper perform well is to move your vehicle off the street during sweeping times. One parked car prevents three car lengths of curb from being swept. Removing basketball backboards and trash cans from the curb is also a good idea. Trees should be trimmed to at least 14 feet above the street and gutter to avoid damage to the equipment and 8 feet above the sidewalk for pedestrian safety.

Water Quality

Since the 19th century, people have tried to keep the streets clean by sweeping and brushing litter, leaves, and debris. Early inventions of brooms and other mechanical devices made this task more efficient, and by the 20th century, modern street sweepers were created.

These vehicles use brushes and negative pressure under the truck to scoop up dirt, dumping it into a bin. The machine then sprays water to prevent the dust from blowing back onto the street and repeatedly starts the process.

One of the most important things you can do to help ensure the City’s sweeping crews can clean your neighborhood is to move your car on comprehensive days — one parked vehicle blocks three car lengths of curb from being swept. You also can help by pruning overhanging tree branches 14 feet above the street and gutter and putting yard trimmings inside your Green Waste bin.

Safety

The EPA states that airborne particulate matter from cars and debris significantly contributes to health issues in urban areas. Regular street sweeping removes these harmful substances and improves local air quality standards.

During street sweeping, the machine scrapes the dirt and deposits it into a bin or dumpster. Leaving a car parked during sweep days prevents the vehicle’s mechanical broom from accessing the curb and cleaning that portion of the street.

Debris and litter on the sidewalks, driveways, or private properties wash into storm drains during rainstorms. These storm drains have grated openings that carry these materials directly to waterways without treatment. It is critical to move your car on your designated street sweeping day and to keep leaf piles and other yard waste away from the curb. To help with this effort, please prune trees and remove basketball hoops from the curb.