Effects of Road Salt to the Environment

In 1938, the United States first used road salt in New Hampshire. By 1942, 5000 tons of salt was used nationwide (Kelly, et al.). Today it is estimated that 15 million tons of salt is used in the winter road; an increase of 300,000% (Kelly, et. Al.). Road salt adversely affects the environment, and closure is important to maintain the safety and health of plants, animals and humans. Road salt is an important element for maintaining winter safety but it is not safe for the environment.

In winter, cold roads are usually treated with salt. Why does this lead to death on the roadside? In the winter, when the road is treated with salt, the surrounding environment is damaged. Salt is used to "melt" the salt. Snow treats the salt, H 2 O molecules stick to the molecules of the salt, separate them from the "ice box" effect and melt them. But salt adheres to the roadside lawn and absorbs their lives in a simple way. Grass salt has 100% salt, grass has a much lower salt content than grass. Because grass becomes hypotonic solution compared to salt, soak out the water. Therefore, the environment becomes hypertonic. In order to balance the surrounding environment, the grass pulls out the water from the salt.

As the weather gets cold, many North American cities rely on salt to reduce roads. This rock salt is similar to salt, it consists of sodium and chloride, but it is coarser. It dissolves rapidly on the road surface, allowing chloride to pass through the effluent water and leach into nearby water. In fact, almost all chloride ions from the road salt eventually enter the downstream waterway. Clay, silt, sand, pollen, chemicals and other substances from the surrounding environment gather slowly and continuously on the bottom of the lake. Sediment provides a natural record of past situations. For example, a layer containing a lot of charcoal may indicate an increase in forest fires in that area.

The weather in winter and the salinity of the road are closely related. Have you noticed a few days or weeks after the winter mixture has passed? This salt ultimately goes into your flow with chloride concentration above the EPA approved level. Will salt on the road destroy our efforts to improve flow health? Anyone can sign up for Water Reporter account and join #saltwatch. So let me tell you to participate in good quality friends of yours. To learn more about Izaak Walton League and its winter salinity observation, please read their launch statement. You can also sign up to get your own chloride test strip!