It is that time of year when snow and ice, mixed with wintry mix, are regulars in the Indiana weather forecast. This means that snow plows as well as salt trucks are always at the ready.
Nearly three quarters (75%) of the U.S. population lives within a region that experiences snow or ice. Salting roads makes driving safer in winter. Research has shown that road salt can reduce car wrecks by more 78%.
This is not all that these salts can do. However, there is increasing evidence to question whether road salts pose a risk to the environment and public safety. Some IndyStar readers havesimilar questions.
Salt has been used to melt ice in the U.S.A for nearly a century. Its use in the country has tripled in 50 years. According to the Cary InstituteNew York-based Ecosystem Studies discovered that more than 20,000,000 tons salt are poured onto American roads each winter.
This edition of the Scrub Hub will examine whether road salts are harmful to the environment and, if yes, why.
We reviewed the research and spoke to the city of Indianapolis to answer these questions. Continue reading to learn more about salts’ general effects and what the city’s Department of Public Works is doing to address the issue.
Short answer: Salts contaminate water wells and harm wildlife
Most road salts are made of sodium chloride, the same chemical that is found in table salt. According to the U.S. Geological Survey 2020, more than 40% is used for highway icing.
Salts lower the freezing temperatures of water, which prevents snow from turning to ice or melting ice that is already present. The salt can be washed away by its very nature.
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Salt in stormwater, runoff, and water ends up untreated near streams and rivers and lakes.
It reduces the oxygen level in waterways, which makes life more difficult for fish, aquatic animals, and even plants. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, this is a problem. De-icing salts can be deadly or even fatal for wildlifeIn freshwater ecosystems, and that high levels of chloride can also be toxic to fish, bugs, and other amphibians.
Research shows that nearly half of the chlorides used in road salt are carried to groundwater. The majority of the chlorides found below groundwater level in urban areas is likely to be from these salts.
Salt can stay in the waterway for a very long period of time once it is there. They are not easily removed by biological processes, unless they’re washed out or diluted.
Road salts can also corrode bridges and vehicles, which EPA estimates results in $5 billion annually in repairs across the country. In some cases, salts can contaminate drinking water wells and reservoirs. A study has shown that freshwater salinity levels are rising dramatically after de-icing salts have been added to the water.People on low-sodium diets can be affected by.
Long answer: Indy attempts to keep waterways clean
While the solution to road salt problems may not be straightforward, Indianapolis is taking steps towards reducing potential harm.
The average winter season sees the city apply 35,000 tons of salt on its roads. They have applied half that amount since November’s beginning this season.
The city uses a particular type of de-icer, which is said to be more effective and anti-corrosive than traditional road salt.
The road surface has a treatment that makes it stick better to the salt. Traditional salt bounces off the pavement when it is applied by trucks. However, tests have shown that Indy’s salt stays within 18 inches of its intended destination, whereas regular salt is only half as effective. According to the manufacturer.
This means less bounce and scatter, which in turn means fewer products are used and less getting into the waterways.
Indy DPW is aware of the benefits this salt material has for both the environment and practicality. It sticks better to roads and helps achieve the goal of deicing streets. Ben Easley, spokesperson for Indys DPW, stated that it is more effective than traditional rock salt. This means that we can put down less material.
The city stores its deicer in covered structures that have no openings in the roofs or walls. The best practices are to not fill the barns with salt and to push it back into the barns instead of the doors. These steps are designed to protect the salt from being washed away by stormwater.
The storage structures are regularly inspected and the city is currently making substantial investments in its barns. These investments range from repairs to rehabs to complete replacements.
Easley stated that these efforts are intended to protect against future stormwater impacts.
Loaded trucks are kept covered and disposed of in a bay that drains directly to the sanitary sewage. Trucks are also regularly inspected to ensure proper equipment and salt isn’t over-sprayed.
According to Easley’s, the snow season starts with annual training. This includes all salt truck driver and includes these reminders, practices, and practices on salt management.
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However, snow and ice services are not limited to the city.
Through its illicit discharge program, the city investigates salt storage facilities. DPW collaborates with Marion County Public Health Department in developing outreach materials for firms that plow or salt in order to reduce their impacts.
Rivermonitoring is a program that tests waterways for chlorides every quarter. It monitors these results to determine the potential impact of road salt use in Indianapolis. Easley stated that the program has not seen any high-quality samples since the beginning. This led to the initial conclusion, Easley, that our deicing material isn’t directly contributing to excessively high levels of chloride in rivers.
The city submits a report every year to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management about a variety of stormwater items, including salt use. According to DPW, the agency has not expressed concerns to the city about the environmental effects of its salt use.
Other areas are also looking at alternatives that could reduce salt usage. One way to reduce salt usage is to treat roads before storms by using a salt-brine liquid to prevent ice formation or bonding to surfaces. According to the Cary Institute this treatment can reduce salt consumption while maintaining road safety.
According to researchers, it’s trueIt all boils down to how localities reactto winter weather and how to adjust expectations on how roads can be kept safe without threatening the environment, waterways, or wildlife.
We are happy to answer any questions you may have about Indiana’s waterways or other topics. Send us a question via our Google form.
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Sarah Bowman, IndyStar reporter at 317-44-6129, or email at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter Facebook: @IndyStarSarah. Connect with IndyStars environmental journalists:Join Facebook’s Scrub.
The Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust generously supports IndyStar’s environmental reporting projects.