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| writing:road_salt [2025/11/23 21:12] – JacobCoffinWrites | writing:road_salt [2025/11/24 18:11] (current) – JacobCoffinWrites |
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| There are several other ways to provide traction and even melt snow and ice without pouring salt over every paved surface in society again and again during every winter storm. The downside is that within the societal/economic system where we currently operate, they're generally worse. Salt is cheap (thanks to massive industrial salt mines and established transportation infrastructure) and effective. Most of the alternatives are weaker on one or both: | There are several other ways to provide traction and even melt snow and ice without pouring salt over every paved surface in society again and again during every winter storm. The downside is that within the societal/economic system where we currently operate, they're generally worse. Salt is cheap (thanks to massive industrial salt mines and established transportation infrastructure) and effective. Most of the alternatives are weaker on one or both: |
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| * **Sand** - Sand adds traction but doesn't | * **Coarse "Winter" Sand** - Sand adds traction but doesn't |
| * **Option 1: Salt but different** - Depending on weather conditions and temperature, their crews may switch to different mixes of Salt (NaCl) or a Salt Brine, coarse "winter" sand, Calcium Chloride (CaCl), Liquid Magnesium Chloride (MgCl2), or a Liquid Chloride Blend. These new techniques reduce the total amount of salt needed to do the same job. | * **Option 1: Salt but different** - there are other kinds of salt and other ways to apply salt, both of which allow for the same or better results with a smaller dose, reducing the total amount of salt needed to do the same job. |
| * and they eventually supplemented with alternatives such as beet juice, molasses, and agricultural byproducts like grape skin compounds which reduced it further. | * **[[https://www.nhms4.des.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt636/files/documents/2022-09/anti-icing.pdf|Salt Brine]]** - this is a mix of salt and water which is sprayed on roads that is used to either pre-wet solid materials that are applied from the plow trucks or to pre-treat the highways in advance of a storm event to prevent freezing or to keep the ice that does form from sticking to the road. Adding brine to salt before it is applied [[https://www.des.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt341/files/documents/wmb-4.pdf|jump starts the melting process and helps keep the salt in place by reducing bounce and scatter]]. This can be regular Sodium Chloride (NaCl) or one of the following alternative salts: |
| * | * **[[https://nhlakes.org/wp-content/uploads/wmb-4.pdf|Calcium Chloride (CaCl)]]**, is the second most common deicing chemical, it is available in flake, pellet or liquid. [[https://mm.nh.gov/files/uploads/dot/remote-docs/operational-guidelines-for-snow-removal-and-ice-control-operations.pdf|It's safer for the environment]] but is three times more expensive than NaCL and so is typically reserved for use in vulnerable areas. It is effective at lower temperatures with a practical melting temperature of -20°F. In liquid form it can be used to pre-wet salt or applied directly as an anti-icing technique which can help in preventing snow and ice from bonding to the pavement and reduce the application amount needed. Several disadvantages to CaCl include a higher cost, environmental impact due to chloride, corrosive to metal, it can be difficult to handle and store, and can contribute to slippery conditions if applied incorrectly. |
| * **Beet Juice** - beet juice is a waste product that remains after the sugar is extracted from sugar beets. Like salt, it helps lower the freezing point of ice (and when used with road salt, it reduces clumping of salt when it is spread on streets). It might not be as effective as road salt, but it is safer for pets and not corrosive to vehicles. Pouring sugar into the environment can also cause problems, | * **[[https://nhlakes.org/wp-content/uploads/wmb-4.pdf|Magnesium Chloride (MgCl2)]]** is available in liquid or crystal form that melts faster than rock salt; it has a practical melting temperature of 5°F. MgCl attracts moisture and can lead to slippery conditions if applied incorrectly. It is corrosive and contributes to the chloride load in our waters. is considered to be safer than NaCl but [[https://www.epa.gov/snep/winter-coming-and-it-tons-salt-our-roads|requires twice the amount to cover the same area, making it more expensive]]. |
| * Cheese / Pickle Brine | * **[[https://nhlakes.org/wp-content/uploads/wmb-4.pdf|Potassium Acetate (KA)]]** – has a practical melting temperature of -15°F and is biodegradable and non- corrosive. It can cause slick road conditions if applied in excess and can lower oxygen levels in the waterbody. This is a commonly used deicer in the airline industry and is relatively non corrosive. |
| * Molasses | * **[[https://mm.nh.gov/files/uploads/dot/remote-docs/operational-guidelines-for-snow-removal-and-ice-control-operations.pdfLiquid Chloride Blend]]** - Liquid Chloride blends are used to stretch the working range of salt brine without incurring the full cost of a Liquid Magnesium Chloride product. |
| * | * **[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calcium_magnesium_acetate|Calcium Magnesium Acetate]]** This is an environment-friendly alternative and is biodegradable. [[https://www.ethicallyengineered.com/eco-friendly-alternatives-to-road-salt/|Calcium Magnesium Acetate is a non-corrosive formula that does little damage to the infrastructure, vegetation, fish, aquatic life, and other surroundings around it.]] However, it is more expensive than salt and is less effective when used in colder temperatures. |
| | * Agricultural by-products – are mostly proprietary to the manufacturer and can be derived from sources such as corn, beet, grain, alcohol, or molasses. These products are generally not as good at melting snow and ice; though some do lower the freezing point of water through chemical means. They are less corrosive than conventional materials and in many cases act as tackifiers (meaning they're sticky) to keep salt and sand on the road surface. These attributes make the product good for anti-icing and pre-treating salt. Depending on the material they may also provide grip/traction similar to sand. They do have environmental impacts in aquatic systems due to their organic nature and can lead to biological oxygen demand, heavy metals, and nutrient enrichment by nitrogen and phosphorus. |
| Another option in the right circumstances is https://mntransportationresearch.org/2020/09/08/permeable-pavements-reduce-slippery-conditions-during-winter-thaw/|permeable paved surfaces. | * **Beet Juice/Beet Molasses** - Most sources I've seen say [[https://www.neefusa.org/story/health-and-environment/winter-salt-smarts|the sugar in beet molasses lowers the freezing point of water, much like salt]], ([[https://canadasalt.ca/beet-juice-vs-road-salt/|the ones that claim it can't //may// have a bias]]). [[https://www.wsgw.com/study-to-determine-sugar-beet-molasses-as-road-salt-alternative|Products/mixes with beat molassas work at lower temperatures than plain salt]] but the most consistent benefit is that beet juice's sticky consistency helps it (and anything it's mixed with like salt or sand) [[https://stateline.org/2017/05/01/using-cheese-molasses-brine-to-treat-roads-with-less-salt/|cling to roads]]. This means less is lost to bounce and scatter so less has to be applied. It's safer for pets and not corrosive to bridges and vehicles (one source claimed [[https://weather.com/science/environment/news/2023-12-15-beet-juice-road-deicer-salt-brine|beet juice serves as a natural corrosion inhibitor - when mixed with salt it makes a brine that is 75% less corrosive than salt itself]]. The downsides is that it's less effective than salt on its own, and pouring sugar and organic nutrients into the environment can also cause problems in rivers, lakes, and streams. |
| | * **[[Cheese/Pickle Brine]]** - These seem to be a way to source brines cheaply from local industrial/agricultural byproducts, although [[https://www.caryinstitute.org/news-insights/media-coverage/why-pickle-brine-secret-weapon-against-ice|cheese brine appears to have an even lower freezing temperature than normal salt brines]]. |
| | * **[[https://www.fastcompany.com/90438438/throwing-some-fermented-grape-skins-on-icy-roads-could-help-cut-down-our-salt-use|Fermented Grape Skin Compounds]]** (this can apparently also be done using sugar beet leaves, peony leaves, or other agricultural byproducts. The claim is that by fermenting these byproducts they break down the agricultural waste, and through the work of bacteria, it ends up as a liquid mixture of chemicals, which can be mixed into the salt brine at a certain ratio to improve its effectiveness and reduce the harm it causes. I've seen other listings that [[https://www.ethicallyengineered.com/eco-friendly-alternatives-to-road-salt/|include vinegar as icemelt]], (probably because it contains [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinegar|acetic acid]]) so this may be similar to that. They also claim the grape skin or sugar beet leaf solution appears not to pose the same risk as beet juice, but they're not sure why yet. This is currently another way to reduce salt, it doesn't look like they've tested it as a full replacement yet. |
| Use less. | * **Brewery/Distillery Byproducts** Producing whiskey, wine, beer, bourbon, vodka, rum, and other alcoholic beverages results in an organic waste product — distiller’s “mash,” and spent brewer’s grains — which possess chemical properties (probably alcohol, though [[https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666517424000105brewery effluent contains a high proportion of sodium]]) that makes ice melt at lower temperatures. It looks like these have been tested and [[https://cottagelife.com/outdoors/looking-for-an-alternative-to-road-salt-try-one-of-these-de-icers-instead/|can be used to help road salt adhere to roads and melt more efficiently at lower temperatures]]. |
| Remove snow and ice manually. The more you remove, the less salt will need to be applied. | * **Pickle juice** - this appears to still be a salt brine, just sourced as a byproduct to lower the cost. |
| Sweep up any excess salt visible on a dry sidewalk. | * **[[https://mntransportationresearch.org/2020/09/08/permeable-pavements-reduce-slippery-conditions-during-winter-thaw/|Permeable Paved Surfaces]]** - Another solution is to change the infrastructure rather than the deicing practices. These pavements are usually constructed with asphalt or pavers and feature a porous structure that drains water into systems below the roadway rather than allowing it to pool on road surfaces where it freezes and requires an application of road salt. This can work, but the permeable pavements are typically more expensive than conventional asphalt, require care by contractors during construction, and require maintenance to keep pores from clogging with decaying leaves and other organic material. These pavements also don’t offer the strength of impermeable pavements and are better-suited for residential streets, parking lots and other applications not used by commercial trucks and equipment. It also looks like they might be best on level ground or shallow grades, and a poor choice for hills. The upside is that they're not just useful in wintertime, reducing the amount of impermeable surfaces is an important part of improving our cities through [[https://www.wired.com/story/los-angeles-just-proved-how-spongy-a-city-can-be/sponge city]] tactics, reducing both floods and water waste while refilling important aquifers. |
| Do not apply salt below 15°F – most salt products will not work below that temperature. | |
| Calibrate your equipment | |
| Use stream nozzles for anti-ice brine, not fan nozzles | |
| Do not apply anti-ice brine to pavement with snow or ice | |
| Use pavement temperature, not air temperature, to determine which deicer product to use | |
| Do not apply road salt when pavement temperatures are below 15°F | |
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| | Things individuals can do to help: |
| | * Use less. More salt doesn't automatically equal more safe. |
| | * Remove snow and ice manually. The more you remove, the less salt will need to be applied. |
| | * Sweep up any excess salt visible on a dry sidewalk. |
| | * Do not apply salt below 15°F – most salt products will not work below that temperature. |
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| === Solarpunk Alternatives === | === Solarpunk Alternatives === |
| But this requires an entire cultural shift. In the present, many people are dependent on cars (and thus the road network) for everything from buying supplies to seeking emergency medical attention. When you need to get to the hospital, or when your job won't accept a raging blizzard as an excuse for being late, you need the roads to be clear because you have no choice but to drive on them. This constant rush means the natural world has to conform to our schedules - sidewalks can't be slippery for a day or even a few hours because people have to use them //right now//. Roads have to be clear at all times because there's no alternative, and opting out for safety isn't an option for far too many people. | But this requires an entire cultural shift. In the present, many people are dependent on cars (and thus the road network) for everything from buying supplies to seeking emergency medical attention. When you need to get to the hospital, or when your job won't accept a raging blizzard as an excuse for being late, you need the roads to be clear because you have no choice but to drive on them. This constant rush means the natural world has to conform to our schedules - sidewalks can't be slippery for a day or even a few hours because people have to use them //right now//. Roads have to be clear at all times because there's no alternative, and opting out for safety isn't an option for far too many people. |
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| This might be different in a solarpunk setting where the pace of life is hopefully gentler. An emphasis on trains and other public transit options (such as [[airships|airships]], [[ropeways|ropeways]], and trams) would mean that many people would have options besides driving. And an acceptance that weather exists and can derail our plans and schedules would mean that many of those who still rely on cars could safely wait for it to pass without losing their livelihoods. Fewer cars on the road mean fewer accidents and less risk for those who have to drive in bad conditions. In fact, the expectation that roads will take a few days to fully clear would likely inform peoples' decisions on where to live and how to prepare themselves. In the recent past, rural areas often expected to be isolated during winter storms, and [[http://www.modeltfordsnowmobile.com/index.htm|people often adapted their personal vehicles to meet the conditions]]. | This might be different in a solarpunk setting where the pace of life is hopefully gentler. An emphasis on trains and other public transit options (such as [[airships|airships]], [[ropeways|ropeways]], and trams) would mean that many people would have options besides driving. And an acceptance that weather exists and can derail our plans and schedules would mean that many of those who still rely on cars could safely wait for it to pass without losing their livelihoods. Fewer cars on the road mean fewer accidents and less risk for those who have to drive in bad conditions. Society could safely reconsider the number of autoroads and bike paths which need to be maintained to bare-pavement conditions, especially during winter storms. In fact, the expectation that roads will take a few days to fully clear would likely inform peoples' decisions on where to live and how to prepare themselves. In the recent past, rural areas often expected to be isolated during winter storms, and [[http://www.modeltfordsnowmobile.com/index.htm|people often adapted their personal vehicles to meet the conditions]]. |
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| This might even extend to accepting that not all roads even have to be plowed, and might be seasonal, open for regular use during summer and fall, and restricted to suitable vehicles (such as snowmobiles, including a variety of ski-and-tracked truck-format vehicles), skiers, snowshoe-rs, etc during the winter. | This might even extend to accepting that not all roads even have to be plowed at all, and might be seasonal, open for regular use during summer and fall, and restricted to suitable vehicles (such as snowmobiles, including a variety of ski-and-tracked truck-format vehicles), skiers, snowshoe-rs, etc during the winter. |
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| Even in solarpunk cities, where driving would hopefully be less of a common concern, people would need to accept that they can be safe in the winter without salt crunching underfoot and that's not easy. This is a fairly recent expectation, and it's driven by a mix of things including legal liability (a bag of salt is a lot cheaper than a personal injury lawsuit) and the present day need to hustle, even in bad weather, that demands that people go out during an ice storm and woe betide anyone who hasn't salted their sidewalk enough. Education is a big piece here, informing people on how salt works on ice, that a heap of dry salt isn't changing anything but the local wetlands, and the consequences of overusing road salt. | Even in solarpunk cities, where driving would hopefully be less of a common concern, people would need to accept that they can be safe in the winter without salt crunching underfoot and that's not easy. This is a fairly recent expectation, and it's driven by a mix of things including legal liability (a bag of salt is a lot cheaper than a personal injury lawsuit) and the present day need to hustle, even in bad weather, that demands that people go out during an ice storm and woe betide anyone who hasn't salted their sidewalk enough. Education is a big piece here, informing people on how salt works on ice, that a heap of dry salt isn't changing anything but the local wetlands, and the consequences of overusing road salt. |
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| consider the number of autoroads and bike paths which need to be maintained to bare-pavement conditions, especially during winter storms. | |
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