News

Amid winter storm, the Salt City has a road salt shortage (Good Morning CNY for Feb. 14) - syracuse.com

Regional Salt Shortage Affecting Cayuga County – Finger Lakes Daily News

How is the shortage of road salt affecting Cayuga County this winter?

Highway Superintendent Brian Soper addressed the county’s Public Works Committee at its Tuesday meeting saying that the county is just one of many facing a shortage of road salt amid a high demand for the product.

“It is getting really serious, but we still have quite a bit [of salt], enough for a few more storms anyways, but the deliveries are slower than slow. We have everything ordered that we can order right now,” said Soper.

Soper added that salt will need to be rationed and he is discussing with the state the possibility of cutting the salt with sand.

Municipalities across the northeastern United States and Canada are grappling with a shortage of road salt as salt companies struggle to keep up with the demand caused by prolonged cold and icy conditions.

Reducing road salt usage protects the environment and trees - The Washington Informer

Landscape plants, especially trees lining sidewalks, are the most in danger of experiencing salt damage following winter weather. Urban canopies are crucial to a city’s environmental health, so they must be considered when deicing roads. (Mya Trujillo/The Washington Informer)

Since 1938, U.S. residents have used rock salt to prevent roads from freezing after winter storms, and while it is necessary to ensure public safety in icy conditions, homeowners and winter maintenance staff must be mindful of the amount they use.  

Although rock salt is an effective tool, causing ice to melt and creating friction between car tires and the pavement, the excessive application of sodium chloride on roads can adversely affect the environment, leaving roadside and landscape plants vulnerable to damage. 

According to the Rutgers Cooperative Extension, sodium-chloride-based ice melt can easily weaken a tree, making it more susceptible to losing branches or contracting diseases. Further, 35% of Washington’s 1.9 million trees account for the city’s urban tree canopy, the most imperiled as they grow adjacent to areas where road salt is most commonly distributed.

If too many trees are weakened due to salt use, the city’s air quality is at risk of decreasing, while pollution could increase. Being reckless with deicers, jeopardizes both the climate control and the amount of oxygen trees offer.

“We have to find that balance of protecting the public while also protecting our green infrastructure,” said Lou Meyer, an arborist with Davey Tree. 

Negative effects are more immediately visible in evergreen trees, as their green color quickly pales when exposed to excessive salt. 

However, signs of distress due to ice melt are less obvious in deciduous trees since they lose their leaves during the winter months. When they sprout anew in the spring, the trees’ leaves will often be yellow rather than green. 

“As the leaves pale out, they don’t have as much chlorophyll, so they don’t photosynthesize as much, [and] they don’t create as much food,”  Meyer said. “If they don’t create as much food, it weakens the tree, and it has less energy to put into reproductive systems, health systems [and] growth systems.” 

Aside from changes in leaf color, other negative effects on trees from salt include bark discoloration caused by residual salt on the trunk, and canopy dieback– the death of twigs and branches. This deicing method dries out the soil, disrupting reproduction and growth as water cannot easily reach the plant’s roots. 

A few preventative measures can be taken to protect trees and shrubbery from rock salt damage. Constantly watering trees is already an essential caretaking procedure, especially in the winter, but also helps flush out and disperse surplus salt. 

Meyer has discovered a sustainable way of watering his trees. 

“I have a dehumidifier running in my basement all the time, [so] I pour that water into a five-gallon bucket,” he told The Informer. “It takes three full dehumidifiers to fill that bucket, and then I’ve got five gallons of water that has to go somewhere, so instead of throwing it down the storm drain I take it out and put it on my plants.”

How to Decrease Road Salt Usage

While eliminating road salt might not be possible while working to stay safe this winter, being mindful of climate-friendly practices can protect the environment for the future.  

For instance, when using road salt, 12 ounces is enough to cover a 20-foot-long driveway or approximately 10 sidewalk squares. 

If the snow melts and salt is still visible, too much has been applied, putting landscape plants at risk.

In addition, residents can use alternatives to sodium chloride such as calcium chloride, which is less harmful to landscapes. If salt must be used, mixing it with sawdust or sand can help dilute it and reduce the amount applied in an area. This intentional reduction in usage is integral to plant health and water quality, as only one teaspoon of salt can pollute five gallons of water.

To decrease the amount of road salt used in the city, the D.C. Snow Team applies a beet juice and brine mixture ahead of snowfall. The beet juice allows the brine to stick to the road, making ice removal easier after a storm, resulting in minimal salt waste. 

“The way it’s mixed and applied ends up being about a 20 to 25% reduction in salt compared to a granular application,” said coordinator for the Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional Program Jason Swope during a Wisconsin Salt Wise presentation. “It makes removal easier and will also help us decrease the amount of ice melters that we need… for that final cleanup.”

To reduce chloride’s harmful effects on the environment and human health, the Center for Watershed Protection (CWP) is developing a “Smart Salting” training program, with materials including anti-icing, pre-wetting, application rates and equipment handling. This program covers effective application strategies, equipment calibration and deicer storage practices. 

“Currently, there are no regulations on salt,” said CWP water resource engineer Allison Lee to Wisconsin Salt Wise’s audience members, “so developing a ‘Smart Salting’ training for winter maintenance staff is a proactive effort.”

Salt savvy | The River Reporter

Applying salt to roadways during winter storms improves safety for travelers, but also affects waterways, their inhabitants and drinking water quality. The salt used to treat this road in Pike County, PA will wind up in the adjacent lake and local groundwater. Take advantage of the links in this column to increase your water awareness of salt and its environmental impacts.

Posted Wednesday, February 12, 2025 11:42 am

By SANDY LONG

With another whirl of wild winter weather in the rearview mirror and more weather to come on the horizon, it’s fair to say the Upper Delaware River region will be receiving additional rounds of salt-based road treatments to address winter driving hazards. 

Most of us are grateful for these practices as we struggle to make it to work or to that surgery that just can’t wait. It’s important to remember, however, that the substances we apply to roads, sidewalks, parking lots and other surfaces ultimately find their way into our waterways and can take an unseen toll on the freshwater fish, aquatic insects and plant life there.

One of the primary agencies working to protect regional waters where I live is the Pike County Conservation District (PCCD) based in Blooming Grove, PA. The small staff studies, establishes and monitors water-protective practices. The work isn’t flashy, and often takes place without fanfare or recognition, but its impacts are highly beneficial to the long-term well-being of our water. Visit www.pikeconservation.org/sliding-into-winter-2025  for a primer and other helpful information about water and winter ice management.

 Another effort to protect water quality on a broader scale is Winter Salt Awareness Week, which took place during the final days of January. This collaboration of governmental and non-governmental organizations across the United States and Canada works to raise awareness around salt pollution and reduction solutions to identify the best practices in snow and ice control and advocate for the protection of freshwater resources. Visit www.wintersaltweek.org/about.

One member of the coalition that has focused on seeking innovative solutions to preserving fresh water since 1967 is the Stroud Water Research Center (SWRC) based in Avondale, PA. The SWRC asserts that salt use can be reduced by 30 to 50 percent and offers strategies for doing so on its website, where you can also see the Winter Salt Week results. Visit www.stroudcenter.org/salt/#salt-week-results.

Another resource for information about the environmental impacts of road salt, as well as some watershed-friendly deicing alternatives to traditional road salt, is the Penn State Extension. See two helpful articles here and here.

Finally, read up on the Izaak Walton League of America, which has been promoting community-based conservation and volunteer science while advocating for strong state and national policies to protect air, water and wildlife for the past century. Visit https://www.iwla.org/publications/outdoor-america/articles/outdoor-america-2024-issue-4/when-salt-of-the-earth-becomes-salt-in-the-wound for an informative piece on the problems associated with salt. You can also request a free test kit and become a citizen scientist by monitoring the salinity of your favorite water body at www.iwla.org/water/stream-monitoring/salt-watch.

Rock salt shortage could impact local road conditions

WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A nationwide rock salt shortage could leave Massachusetts with icy and snowy roads.

Road salt demand is extremely high across the country, leaving local authorities in Massachusetts struggling to keep the roads clear.

Springfield seeks more funds for road repairs

The northeast is bracing for another round of winter weather on Wednesday, which would be the third snow event in less than 10 days. This comes as salt suppliers are facing high demand across the country. 22News spoke with Trevor Wood at West Springfield DPW to understand why demand is so high.

“These little one-inch, two-inch snowstorms take a toll on the salt,” Wood said. “If you’re having four or five-inch snowstorms, you’re just plowing. These two-inch storms are just knocking it down with salt, so that’s why it’s just taking so much.”

700 tons of salt for a town like West Springfield may only last one or two snowstorms. West Springfield started pre-treating roads with liquid ice melt to combat the high salt demand. Even with these precautions, some areas have resorted to outside help.

“We’re just kind of calling contractors in just to plow all the snow off, even if it is two inches, and then we’ll salt after the fact,” Wood said. “This time of year we’re kind of just letting the snow kind of snow first.”

If winter storms keep hitting areas that are ill-equipped, like Florida and Texas, salt demand could stay high through the winter.

If you’re unable to find regular road salt in your area, some people are using water-softener salt to keep ice and snow off their driveways.

Road salt contamination in focus for legislators

MONTPELIER, Vt. (Community News Service) - Salt can be found just about everywhere outside in the winter — cars, roads, sidewalks — but where does it all go come spring? The answer often is streams, rivers and lakes, something clean water advocates and scientists say is getting worse.

Chloride, a chemical that leaches into waterways from road salt, compounds in the environment, particularly in smaller streams and brooks near multiple roadways. Too much chloride can be toxic to aquatic life and corrode pipes and plumbing, among other things.

The citizen committee that advises the state on managing Lake Champlain recently told legislators that excess chloride in the watershed could soon require state or federal regulations.

“The chloride is really a looming thing that I don’t think most people realize … It’s coming hard here, and there’s going to be federal stuff coming down on this,” said Bob Fisher, member of the advisory committee and South Burlington water quality superintendent, before the House Committee on Environment late last month.

State regulators seemed to agree about the problem last year, when they stepped in to address Sunnyside Brook in Colchester routinely exceeding legal limits for chloride levels.

The state developed a plan last winter to reduce the chloride entering the stream and limit how much can be present in the water every day while still being safe. That limit, called a total maximum daily load, was the first in the state to regulate chloride in particular, officials said.

Now, Sen. Anne Watson, D/P-Washington County, has introduced a bill to create a state program focused on curbing chloride contamination from road salt by better training salt crews.

The program, housed in the state Agency of Natural Resources, would provide education, training and certification for road salting across the state. Watson chairs the Senate Natural Resources Committee, which has been discussing chloride contamination this session. Watson said she hopes the bill, S.29, can help reduce stress on wildlife as well as save contractors and municipalities money on salt expenses.

The Senate committee heard from various environmental organizations that detailed the rising chloride contamination across the state Tuesday.

Over the last 30 years, the Winooski River has seen chloride levels more than double, Lake Champlain Basin Program chief scientist Matthew Vaughn said in the meeting. As more and more waterways upstream of the river become impaired, those chloride levels have risen sharply, Vaughn said.

A speaker from AdkAction, a New York nonprofit that has run projects to reduce salt use in the Adirondack Mountains, described to committee members how it worked with road crews and citizens to tune equipment and prevent using more salt than necessary.

The nonprofit recommends public-private cooperation and teaching people ways to conserve salt when treating roads or driveways.

“Anywhere where we deploy these standards, and there’s buy-in, we’re seeing a 50% reduction in salt use,” Phill Sexton, technical advisor for the group, told legislators.

Over the last decade, the Adirondacks’ Lake George area has attracted much attention for its road salt reduction work. For many years, about 30,000 tons of salt was used annually around the tourist destination, according to the Lake George Association, and some towns around the lake have reduced their winter salt use by as much as half each year.

Craig Digiammarino, manager of conservation and stewardship efforts at the Vermont Agency of Transportation, said in an email that officials are aware of the impacts road salting has on water quality and aim to avoid excess salt near impaired waterways. The agency’s snow and ice control plan describes, among other methods, using brine instead of rock salt.

Mixing road salt with water to produce brine can greatly lower the amount of chloride used because it helps melt snow and ice faster.

But much of the chloride entering the environment comes through private salting of parking lots, driveways, and other property where there is little regulation, Tim Clear of the state Department of Environmental Conservation said in an interview.

Experts said people and companies salting private property might be using more salt than needed. According to the Lake Champlain Sea Grant Program at the University of Vermont, a 12-ounce cup of rock salt can effectively cover a 20-foot-long driveway or 10 sidewalk squares.

Researchers propose revolutionary solution for treacherous winter driving conditions — here's how it could transform future cities

Researchers in Canada believe there's a better way to fight ice and snow on roads than plows and salts. In a piece for The Conversation, they proposed an innovative solution leveraging solar energy called borehole thermal energy storage. 

Icy and snowy roads pose challenges that conventional remedies can't always properly address. For one thing, road salts' effectiveness declines in extremely cold temperatures. They can also be problematic for the local environment. Runoff can contaminate soil and groundwater and even spur algal blooms in lakes. It can also damage cars, roads, and bridges, inevitably leading to pricey repairs.

BTES is a promising alternative solution that has already been used with success globally. While the tech started as a way to heat and cool buildings, it is now being tapped to combat wintry conditions. 

BTES takes in solar energy and stores it underground in the summer months. When a winter storm hits, that stored energy can move through pipes below the surface and act as what the researchers described as a "solar powered underfloor heating system."

While this proposal might be for the most ambitious use case yet, BTES is already in place in Sweden and Belgium to heat surfaces such as soccer fields and bike paths. Another example is Greater Binghamton Airport, which uses it to keep runways clear.

The researchers asserted that BTES could make a big difference in preventing Canada's busy roads from freezing over or generating black ice. Those conditions make pileups and multicar accidents inevitabilities. The researchers called it a "win-win" for cities with regard to bridges, which carry heightened safety concerns and maintenance costs if salts and chemicals damage them.

It is worth noting that BTES requires operational resources and regular maintenance. BTES includes components such as heat pumps that need electricity to move the stored heat to the road surfaces in wintry conditions. Maintenance is also needed to check on the system components, inspect pipes for leaks, and keep the control systems up to speed. 

There is also a higher initial cost than road salts and plows, but the researchers said it could be paid back in under 11 years. Installing the systems requires "invasive construction work" and "favorable ground conditions," per the researchers.

With all that in mind, they argued that BTES is a "wise investment" for Canadian cities such as Toronto and Montreal, which could use subsidies and tax breaks to spur implementation. They pointed out that Canada spends $350 million annually on road salts, with the resulting economic and environmental damages ballooning to a staggering $4.8 billion per year. 

Canada's notorious winters are "ideal" for the tech, the researchers asserted. They said that the country could "lead the way by adopting BTES systems on its most treacherous roads, steep inclines and vulnerable bridges." While Canada's next move is unknown, the researchers' proposition of safer roads, fewer costly repairs, and less environmental carnage is undoubtedly compelling.

American Rock Salt releases statement on challenges for salt supplies this winter | WXXI News

A Livingston County-based rock salt company is responding to recent reports that some municipalities have had trouble getting enough road salt to put on snowy and icy roads.

A statement put out on Monday by American Rock Salt said that it realizes some municipalities are concerned about supply, but that since last October, the company said its employees have been working "relentlessly in the salt mine 24 hours a day, 101 out of the last 113 days."

The statement comes after some communities including some in the Buffalo area, were reportedly having difficulty getting the shipments they needed. 

American Rock Salt said that it understands the frustration, but that it has been dealing with historic demand due to a long stretch of cold weather events. 

The company statement said that it has taken additional measures to increase supply, including opening reserve stockpiles, and purchasing new underground equipment to mine additional salt. American Rock Salt said with those efforts, they have increased daily production by more than 25%, while maintaining a safe working environment. 

American Rock Salt, which said it is the largest producing salt mine in the U.S. said that the historic demand for salt is affecting the supply from all salt mining companies, both foreign and domestic.

The company said it continues to be in direct contact with its state and local partners to make sure they have adequate salt supply.

Ice melt vs rock salt: experts reveal the best solution | Homes & Gardens

Extreme weather this winter has brought snow to parts of the country that aren't quite used to it yet. If you haven't seen snow in years, you may not know the right way to de-ice your outside spaces.

If you're new to de-icing a driveway, you have two options: ice melt and rock salt. However, the right one to use isn't obvious. Both solutions have a lot of sales jargon so it isn't always clear which one is best for your paths and driveways. Both solutions can be toxic, too, so it's worth working out which is safest.

I spoke to de-icing experts about the crucial differences between ice melt and rock salt and discovered which is the right option for specific yards.

What's the difference between ice melt and rock salt?

If you are wondering how to de-ice garden paths, then you should know the difference between ice melt and rock salt. 'There is a simple chemical distinction,' explains snow management expert Chrissie Handley, who explains that 'ice melt is a de-icing solution made from a blend of sodium chloride, magnesium chloride and calcium chloride. The solution is known to dissolve much faster than regular de-icing salt due to its high solubility and works by lowering the freezing point of water to create a saline solution, melting snow and ice from driveways and paths.'

Rock salt, on the other hand, is just regular salt, exactly the same chemical as table salt. Chrissie explains that 'Rock salt is also known as ‘gritting salt’ – it’s a naturally occurring mineral formed from sodium chloride (salt) and is usually extracted from underground mines worldwide. You can also get white de-icing salt, which is extracted from evaporated seawater. This tends to be a cleaner de-icing salt alternative.'

The main benefit of using ice melt in your winter garden is that it works at much lower temperatures than rock salt. Chrissie Handley says: 'If you live in a very cold climate, an ice melt containing calcium chloride, either alone or in a blend, is typically the best choice. Depending on its concentration and whether it is mixed with other de-icers, these ice melts can remain effective at temperatures as low as -25°F.'

On top of that, ice melt is softer on concrete surfaces than rock salt. Chrissie says: 'While both de-icing salt and ice melt can be applied to a variety of surfaces, including pavements, roads, and parking lots, ice melt is typically gentler, making it safer (though not completely, as it can still erode surfaces over time) for cars and concrete.''

This American-made ice melt is as good as it gets. It has a traction agent to keep you from slipping, blue dye to make it easy to see where you've applied the salt, and it works at temperatures as low as -2°F. The only drawbacks are the price and claims about pet safety - users report that it's fine for their animals, but no ice-melt is completely pet-safe.

What are the disadvantages of ice melt?

The drawback to ice melt is that it's toxic. Even 'pet-safe' ice melts can irritate skin, and they can even be fatal if ingested. Chrissie Handley says: 'Although ice melts are labeled as pet- and child-friendly and are generally deemed not as corrosive as standard de-icing salt, they are not completely safe. Ingestion can cause unpleasant side effects such as vomiting or diarrhea, so you should avoid using ice melt in areas where pets or wildlife may come into contact with it.'

While ice melt is less likely to damage concrete than rock salt, it's still not a perfect product. Chrissie says that: 'Ice melt is less corrosive than de-icing salt but can still penetrate concrete and weaken it over time. Concrete, especially newer, less cured types, can suffer from scaling, flaking, and cracking when exposed to the solution.'

Grounds manager Chris Metcalf adds that buying ice melt can be trickier than rock salt. 'Ice melt is more expensive compared to rock salt. It is less readily available, so it can be difficult to source the product during periods of high demand.'

Rock salt has a lot of advantages, but they depend on the type of salt you use. Chrissie Handley explains that: 'Salt comes in two main types: rock salt, which is cheaper than white salt and used on roads, often leaving brown residue, and white de-icing salt, which leaves no residue and is used to de-ice schools, hospitals, and offices.'

The main benefit of white de-icing salt is that it looks much cleaner. Chrissie told me that: 'White de-icing salt is an excellent choice for areas with heavy foot traffic. It is purer than rock salt and leaves no residue, ensuring that carpets, tiles, and other indoor surfaces remain clean.'

However, white de-icing salt can be expensive, so most people use rock salt. 'Rock salt- also known as brown salt, road salt, or grit - is commonly used by highway agencies and spread by gritters during cold weather,' says Chrissie. 'Its durability makes it ideal for high-traffic areas such as roads and large parking lots. However, it does leave a slight brown residue, so despite being more affordable, some people prefer white salt.'

You don't need anything fancy with rock salt. This simple 25lb of rock salt will melt snow and ice on your driveway. Just make sure your concrete has been treated first, because salt can make concrete crack.

What are the disadvantages of rock salt?

Chris Metcalf says there are a few disadvantages to rock salt. The first is that it's more corrosive than ice melt. Chris says: 'Rock salt tends to be more corrosive to concrete, asphalt, vehicles, plants, and turf. It's much more easily tracked indoors, which can cause damage to flooring and carpets.' It does a lot more damage than ice melt, so it isn't the best option if you have untreated concrete.

Chris adds that rock salt doesn't work in every climate, and warns that: 'Rock salt has limited effectiveness in temperatures below 15 degrees.' While 15°F is fairly uncommon across the country, it's fairly routine in northern states, especially those bordering Canada, so ice melt is usually a better choice.

Rock salt doesn't last as long as ice melt, either. Chris says: 'Rock salt does not have long-lasting residual effects, which may require additional applications.' So, while rock salt is cheaper, you get through much more of it than ice melt.

FAQs

Are there alternatives to ice melt and rock salt?

Several rock salt and ice melt alternatives are less harsh on the environment. Chrissie Handley explains: 'When salt or ice melt is used in excessive amounts, it can potentially wash into the surrounding ground. This can lead to browning and killing of nearby grass, shrubs, and trees. Additionally, it can leach into the groundwater, potentially contaminating drinking water sources, including nearby rivers.'

This means that if you don't see heavy winters, you're probably better off using urea. Chrissie says: 'In milder climates, less aggressive de-icers like potassium chloride or urea might be preferable to minimize environmental impact.' Urea is available at Walmart and other stores, but it's more expensive than ice melts.

Ice melt and rock salt aren't the only way to de-ice garden paths and patios in the winter. There are also some intriguing ice melt alternatives made from common home products that might be a more cost-effective solution. Our guide has all the information you need to know.

Ottawa's road salt use is the highest in Canada. Here's what you need to know

At the risk of pouring more salt into the wound of our long and wicked winter weather , Ottawa is the Canadian road salt champion.

We use more rock salt compounds — an average of 156,000 metric tonnes for each of the past five winters — than any other municipality in the country.

We don’t foresee city council calling for an order of “We’re Number One” T-shirts or baseball caps, but there is plenty of spice that goes into those heavy salt trucks that keep us from slipping on our icy roads and sidewalks during snowy and icy conditions.

The science and environmental concerns have evolved and the city now uses both standard road salt — also known as halite — and calcium chloride for melting purposes.

Elsewhere in North America, cities are using salty beet, pickle, molasses and cheese compounds to melt ice.

We’ll get to more of that tasty conversation in a moment, but first, a little history.

When did we start shaking salt on the streets?

When the rubber started hitting the road and vehicle traffic soared in the 1930s and 1940s, road salt became the magic Band-Aid solution to help keep cars out of ditches during the worst winter weather.

The science for its success in keeping roads safe is simple enough. Saltwater, a combination of sodium and chloride, freezes at a lower temperature than standard water. Accordingly, when it’s applied to roads and sidewalks, the ice melts.

At $65 per metric tonne, salt also has the added benefit of being relatively cheap, compared to other melting compounds.

Calcium chloride is more effective because it melts at an even lower temperature, but it costs $140 per tonne.

For comparison’s sake, EcoTraction, a gritty sand-like mixture sold in stores and generally used to improve stability on sidewalks and driveways, retails at more than $1,600 per tonne.

Considering how much salt we use, every dollar counts.

During the mild winter of 2023-24, when only 133.7 centimetres of snow fell, the city used more than 120,000 metric tonnes of salt and there were 91 freeze-thaw cycles. In 2022-23, with 329.5 centimetres dropping and 75 freeze-thaw cycles, the salt load topped 204,000 metric tonnes.

Across Canada, five million tonnes of road salt is used each winter.

How much damage can that cause on and under the streets?

Plenty. Rust, as Neil Young once wrote, never sleeps.

Over time, excessive salt use has significant corrosive effects on roads, underground pipes and cars.

Car rust might be good for the automotive repair industry, but it’s bad for the lifecycle of vehicles in cold climates.

It also leads to asphalt breaking down in the freeze-thaw cycles, leading to the nightmarish potholes that test our patience and use of four-letter words.

Metal and concrete supports on bridges are also especially vulnerable to damage.

“Salt, in terms of sodium chloride, can penetrate into the concrete and the chloride ions can disrupt the protective layer that is naturally formed around the steel rebars in concrete structures,” said Jieying Zhang, principal research officer at the National Research Council of Canada’s construction division.

“This can cause corrosion of the steel. When that happens, the corrosion can disrupt the concrete’s integrity and crack it.”

Can road salt make its way into the ground and waterways?

Absolutely. The salt run-off from the roads, often called “salt splash,” can increase the level of chloride in the atmosphere.

The Ottawa Riverkeeper has just completed a five-year study, including 500 samples taken at 12 locations, about the impact of road salt on the city’s watershed. The findings were “devastating”, according to Larissa Holman, director of science at policy for Ottawa Riverkeeper. Due to increased chloride, the samples taken at dozens of locations — including Green’s Creek, Mother Award Ditch, Nepean Creek, Nesbitt Creek and Pinecrest Creek — were found to be either “acutely toxic” or “chronically toxic”. Higher chloride levels were even found in the summer when it enters the water following heavy rainfalls.

“Once it breaks down and does what it’s supposed to do, it moves to sewer systems and often into local creeks,” said Holman.

The health of the smallest organisms, which often live at the bottom of the water, is affected. “It has a huge impact on the ecosystem and there’s decreased biodiversity,” she said.

Higher levels of sodium in the water supply also pose problems for those with hypertension.

Have those concerns been heard?

Environmental agencies throughout North America have offered guidelines on reducing salt use. However, while the

the Canadian Environmental Protection Act of 1999 determined that certain salts — including those “containing inorganic chloride with or without ferrocyanide salts” were posing a risk to fish and water ecosystems — Holman says there’s limited punishment for those who use too much.

The biggest problems stem from salt use on the roads where traffic is densest.

Private contractors and homeowners, she says, also typically use far too much salt than is necessary. One coffee mug of road salt spread thinly is enough to melt the ice on a two-car driveway.

Holman says a pilot project in Gatineau, where only gravel and dirt are being used on the roads in five neighbourhoods, holds some promise.

The city of Ottawa does consult with the Ottawa Riverkeeper and follows provincial guidelines that include seeking out alternative solutions to cut back usage wherever possible, depending on existing conditions.

“The city uses a variety of materials at different application rates that match the weather,” said Christopher Paquette, program manager for operational research and projects. “We tailor our application rates to the specific conditions, adjusting for snow and ice accumulation rates and temperature ranges. A large portion of the rates are a mixture of rock salt and liquid calcium chloride.”

Ottawa city plows have been outfitted with the new rubber blades that are replacing steel blades on most of the city’s snow plows. Amos McWilliams, a heavy equipment operator for the city of Ottawa, inspects the rubber which is mounted on the former steel plow blade in this file photo.© Tony Caldwell

What else is the city doing?

Beginning last winter, the city introduced something called Ground Speed Oriented Electronic Controllers on three sidewalk spreading units. The goal is aimed at improving efficiency and addressing environmental concerns. The system helps “monitor and adjust salt applications in real-time based on vehicle speed and surface conditions,” according to Paquette.

The benefit is that salt is distributed “ensuring precise calibration and optional use.”

This winter, the controllers are being used in a dozen sidewalk spreading units.

The city is also using new carbide-encapsulated rubber blade segments on its heavy snowplows, which should also reduce the amount of salt necessary.

“It has shown great promise to scrape the roads better, which results in a reduction in salt application,” said Paquette.

Why do trucks pre-coat the roads before major weather events?

The calm before the storm is vital in getting ahead of the nastiness.

Pre-salting roads establishes a layer of “brine” on the pavement, which decreases how much ice can form. In Ottawa, liquid calcium chloride is often mixed with standard road salt. The additional advantage of applying a liquid layer is that road salt is less likely to splash away.

Ottawa city snow plow during a snow storm in a file photo.© Tony Caldwell

Does road salt run-off have an impact on building ice for the Rideau Canal?

It can, if only to a small degree.

While the Rideau Canal Skateway is operated by the National Capital Commission, the city of Ottawa is responsible for salting Colonel By Drive and the Queen Elizabeth Driveway.

“Road salt is introduced not only from nearby driveways but also from the numerous overhead bridges that cross the Skateway,” said NCC strategic communications advisor Benoit Desjardins. “Additionally, storm drains also contribute salt to the canal, all of which create challenges for ice formation.”

And those wooden planks along the Queensway bridge atop the Canal? They were installed by the Ontario government to reduce how much snow and salt drop onto the ice surface.

So, what about those vegetable and cheese cocktails?

Toronto, Halifax and Laval are among the Canadian cities that have experimented by spraying a salty beet brine on roads before major storms. The benefits include cost efficiency, and the fact it’s easier on the environment and can melt ice at lower temperatures. The beet concoction also freezes at a lower temperature than standard road salt, which begins losing effectiveness at minus 7 degrees Celsius. It is possible to create homemade solutions for driveway use but beware, purple beets can leave a mark. Anyone who has digested beets is familiar with the colouring that occurs.

In the U.S., transportation agencies are increasingly using what’s available to them to find more environmentally friendly road brines. That includes pickle juice on some roads in Pennsylvania, which is home to the Heinz pickle factory.

A salty cheese mixture is also being used in — where else? — Wisconsin, where three billion pounds of cheese is produced each year. Rather than have companies pay to dispose of waste, the state collects it and then re-uses that leftover brine. Just like the beet and pickle mixtures, the cheese cocktail is mixed with road salt. It, too, freezes at a lower temperature, reducing icy conditions.

It certainly provides food for thought in keeping at least some of the ice away.