Is road salt dangerous for the environment?

February 4, 2022, 3:15 pm| 3:15 PM

• Scott LaMar

  

  Scott LaMar has been in radio and television since more than 40 years.

  LaMar is currently the host and executive producer of the Smart Talk news and public affairs programs on WITF-FM, 89.5 and 93.3 in Harrisburg, Pa.

  LaMar was previously the WITF TVs Sr.Public Affairs producer and produced Smart Talk, the award-winning weekly public relations TV program.

  LaMar was a regular contributor of BBC World News TV before the 2020 U.S. Presidential elections.

  LaMar was awarded the 2020 Excellence in Journalism Award by The American Society of Civil Engineers. LaMar was the only national recipient. Since 2000, he has won more Pennsylvania Associated Press Broadcast Awards. He has also been nominated for five Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards.

  Smart Talk and LaMar were recognized in Central Pennsylvania by ADVOZ Lancasters first Dignity in Dialogue Award, the South Central Assemblys Regional Citizen Award, and were named Humanitarian Heroes by The Humane Society of the United States/Pennsylvania.

  LaMar, a native of Coatesville in Pennsylvania, has also worked as a broadcast anchor, sports announcer, and manager.

Smart Talk is available every weekday at 9:15 and 7:30 on WITF 89.5 and 93.3. You can also stream WITF radio live on our website or ask your smart speaker to “Play WITF Radio.”

Winter can be dangerous because of slippery roads. Whenever the weather forecast calls for snow and ice, PennDot and local municipalities’ road crews go to work to treat roadways before a storm and then plow and clear them afterwards.

Road salt is one of their tools. It melts the snow and makes roads, roads and highways more safe. Motorists almost take it for granted that roads will be cleared and salt used to do so.

PennDot uses 800,000 tons of salt per year.

Salt is evident in the hazy white streaks on pavements and sidewalks.

But road salt doesn’t just melt snow and ice. It can be absorbed into the soil, which can cause problems for aquatic life and plants.

So says our guest on Monday’s Smart TalkJohn Jackson, Senior Research scientist Stroud Water Research CenterChester County