eMMA ADD-ON- 2022_WHS Flyer_.pdf

Three Steps to Minimize Wildlife Disease Transmission Via Construction Equipment

Aquatic wildlife can be harmed by viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites introduced into wetlands. These infectious patho-gens can survive in mud, soil, vegetation, and other debris that collect on the bodies and crevices of drivable equipment.

Construction and habitat restoration projects can accidentally transport pathogens from a contaminated aquatic habitat into a healthy one. These three steps can help minimize the spread of pathogens to amphibians, reptiles, and fishes.

Step 1 CLEAN before entering a worksite or relocating to a worksite near wetlands or waterways.

• Clean on site or at a predetermined wash station.

• Detach parts and accessories (buckets, augers, trailers, chains) as needed to access all surfaces.

• Remove all caked-on mud and foreign materials with shovels, pry bars, or stiff brooms.

• Clean equipment in the following sequence:

Exterior surfaces (from top to bottom): roof g sides g undercarriage g fixed attachments g wheels Interior area: remove seat covers and floor mats to clean separately

• Clean equipment top-to-bottom and exterior-then-interior.

• Power-wash exterior with ≥90 pounds per square inch water for sediment removal.

Step 2 DISINFECT using chemical agents when your current worksite may have water or soil with pathogens OR when you move equipment between sites more than a half-mile away.

• Disinfect equipment at a dry location more than 165 feet from any wetland or aquatic habitat.

• Apply one of the following reagents* with a sprayer, then allow it to sit for at least 5 minutes:

u 1% potassium peroxymonosulfate solution per manufacturer’s instructions (such as 1.3 ounces of Virkon® Aquatic granulated powder per 1 gallon of water).

u An effective bleach mixture. Bleach is sold at different concentrations (see graph on the next page for appropriate ratios of water to bleach).

• Prepare solutions as needed to minimize storage time; solutions weaken within 10 days.

• Rinse chemical disinfectants off equipment with liberal amounts of water.

• Follow the manufacturers’ Safety Data Sheets to ensure proper handling and disposal.

*Use of commercial product name is for descriptive purposes and does not imply endorsement.

Step 3 DRY outdoors, ideally in direct sunlight, for at least:

• 5 days if the equipment was cleaned but NOT disinfected, or

• 24 hours if the equipment was cleaned AND disinfected.

STEP 1: CLEAN STEP 2: DISINFECT STEP 3: DRY

Start: Roof

2nd: Sides

3rd: Undercarriage

Finish: Wheels and Tracks

4th: Fixed Blades, Buckets, Hammers, Etc.

ILLLUSTRATION BY M. NOWIK (INSTAGRAM @THE_PROCASTINATING_ARTIST)

CONTINUED ON BACK

The appropriate water-to-bleach mixture will depend on the bleach concentration as measured by its %active ingredient (AI) of sodium hypochlorite (NaClO).

To make an appropriate mixture (~3% bleach solution):

1. Use the vertical axis to to locate the gallons of water you’re using..

2. Follow that horizontal line to the right until you intersect the diagonal line for the bleach concentration being used.

3. Follow the vertical line at this intersection down-ward to determine the quarts of bleach solution to add to your gallons of water. If the intersection is between two vertical lines, use the vertical line to the right of the intersection.

Example: For 50 gallons of water, use either:

3 quarts of a 12.00% bleach concentration OR 4 quarts + 1 cup of a 8.25% bleach OR 6 quarts of a 6.00% bleach OR 6 quarts + 3 cups of a 5.25% bleach

ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS FOR MINIMIZING THE SPREAD OF PATHOGENS

Alternatives for difficult-to-clean materials: Traditional wooden mats that are driven on to protect wetland substrates are not recommended because they are very difficult to clean before relocating them to a different worksite. As an alternative, a composite matting system is nonporous and is easier to clean, dry, and reuse.

Although initially more expensive than wooden mats, its durability, extended life, and ease of cleaning may offset costs.

Materials with low risk of introducing pathogens: Native materials obtained on site, such as topsoil, logs, wood-chipped vegetation, and streambed rocks, can be used with little risk of introducing new pathogens.

The following materials brought into a worksite also have a low risk of containing pathogens:

• Crushed stone for activities requiring roadbeds or temporary stream crossings

• Manufactured sand and rock dust for padding underground pipes and filling sandbags

• Kiln-dried hay or straw bales instead of untreated hay for sediment filtration

Avoid reusing materials between sites with a higher risk of introducing pathogens, such as wooden mats, plywood, and silt fencing.

Decontaminating hand-held equipment, outerwear, and tools: If exposed to wetland debris, these items should be cleaned and disinfected daily and, if possible, at the worksite. Porous items that retain water should be cleaned, disinfected, and allowed to air dry. Written instructions on disinfecting these items are found at http://northeastparc.org/disinfection-protocol/ and a video is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SZZiSlWycc

These steps are explained in detail in the article Minimizing the Spread of Herpetofaunal Pathogens in Aquatic Habitats by Decontaminating Construction Equipment http://northeastparc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Julian-2020-Decontamination-for-Herps-for-large-equipment.pdf

CREATING AN EFFECTIVE BLEACH MIXTURE

NEPARC PUBLICATION 2022-01