Limit salt use on ice; find environmentally-friendly options

Despite it being the first week of April, there is still plenty of snow and ice all around us. There have been plenty of days where we have taken one step outside our rooms and been faced with an ice-rink sidewalk. Of course, one of the usual methods we use to help relieve this is salt. However, how much salt is too much? Ice-melt is generally a mix of chemicals which include sodium chloride, magnesium chloride and/or calcium chloride. According to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), Minnesotans tend to use “too much” salt when trying to de-ice sidewalks and roads—around 44,500 tons of salt are distributed onto outside surfaces in Minnesota each winter.

This much chloride has some pretty drastic impacts. The MPCA explains that the chloride from these salts moves into rivers, lakes and other water sources when the snow melts. This contamination kills freshwater fish, plants and other aquatic organisms, which leads to damage to the food webs in an aquatic ecosystem. So, the question remains: how can we make our roads and outdoor surfaces safe while also being conscious of the impact on an important Minnesota resource like water?

MPCA lays out some other ideas and information that we can use to limit our impact. One that is used commonly is sand. While sand doesn’t melt ice, it does give more traction when walking or driving. Measuring how much salt you use and focusing on specific areas can limit the amount of chloride used. For a sidewalk or driveway (about 20 feet of surface), 12 ounces of salt is enough to melt the ice and snow there. 12 ounces is the size of an average coffee mug—people tend to put out way more salt than necessary. If there is salt sitting on dry surfaces, sweep it up and reuse it, or dispose of it properly. As tiring as it can be, good old shoveling is an effective solution as well—removing excess snow and ice can clear a surface and allow for less salt use. Above all else, recognize that winter snow and ice can create dangerous situations.

All the salt in the world is not going to magically make ice disappear: be aware of your surroundings, drive/walk slowly and limit unnecessary travel when you can. For Minnesota, winter is something we have to deal with every year, and the impact of what we use to deal with ice can affect our waterways for years to come. Use melting salt consciously, and find other effective solutions that help to preserve our environment and make winter manageable.