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Reducing Road Salt Usage

Photo Jennifer Latzgo

Insert presenter’s name and organization here

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Insert here information about your orgnization

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Agenda

Causes and impacts of road salt pollution
Best management practices
Questions

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Causes and Impacts of Salt Pollution

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Road salt use has doubled in the past 50 years

Carey Institute

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Why the increase?

Increased development = more roads,

parking lots, impervious surfaces that need

deicers in winter

2. Fear of liability for slips and falls

3. Change in expectations

Photo Jennifer Latzgo

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De-icing chemicals

Sodium chloride (rock salt)
Magnesium chloride
Calcium chloride

All contain chloride

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC

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Illustration with permission of Izaak Walton League

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Where the salt comes from

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Where does the salt go?

Runoff
Storm drains (likely drains to streams)
Directly to streams: causes salt spikes
Infiltrates ground → groundwater (45%)

Photo Mary Rooney

So where does the salt go once it is spread? As the snow melts or it rains, it gets washed off the road or the parking lot. Some of it washes across the ground as stormwater runoff and ends up in streams where it causes salt spikes in the winter.

Some of it goes down storm drains like the one in this picture. Many storm drains lead directly to streams. A lot of it, about 45 % soaks down into the ground and infiltrates the groundwater. Unfortunately, once it’s down there, it gradually accumulates making the groundwater become saltier and saltier.

References:

�Minnesota Stormwater Manual. (2011). Environmental Impacts of Road Salt and Other de-icing Chemicals - Minnesota Stormwater Manual. State.mn.us. https://stormwater.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/Environmental_impacts_of_road_salt_and_other_de-icing_chemicals

�A Fresh Look at Road Salt: Aquatic Toxicity and Water-Quality Impacts on Local, Regional, and National Scales

�

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Gaining Stream

Illustration with permission from the Groundwater Project

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Effects on the environment

Interferes with osmotic regulation
Reduces oxygen content of water

Impacts zooplankton
Amphibians
Fish
Ponds/lakes: creates oxygen deficient layer of water
Affects aquatic plants

Phto by Jennifer Latzgo

Photo Jennifer Latzgo

Unfortunately, chloride also has negative effect on the environment. In bodies of water it interferes with osmotic regulation and it reduces the oxygen content of the water. This impacts zooplankton, amphibians and fish. In ponds and lakes, salty water is more dense and can form a layer of oxygen deficient water at the bottom that is harmful to wildlife. And aquatic plants are affected because they cannot absorb water through their roots.

References:

Górecka, A., Szklarek, S., Frankiewicz, P. et al. Does winter application of road salt affect zooplankton communities in urban ponds?. Aquat Sci 85, 111 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00027-023-01009-y�Effects of road de-icing salt (NaCl) on larval wood frogs (Rana sylvatica)

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16159689/�Collins, S. J., & Russell, R. W. (2009). Toxicity of road salt to Nova Scotia amphibians. Environmental Pollution, 157(1), 320–324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2008.06.032�Environmental Hazards of Road Salt

https://extension.psu.edu/environmental-hazards-of-road-salt#:~:text=This%20exponential%20increase%20in%20road,amounts%20of%20impermeable%20land%20cover.�Impact of salinization on lake stratification and spring mixing:

https://aslopubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/lol2.10215�Hintz, W. D., & Relyea, R. A. (2017). Impacts of road deicing salts on the early-life growth and development of a stream salmonid: Salt type matters. Environmental Pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987), 223, 409–415. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2017.01.040�Norrstrom, A., & Bergstedt, E. (2001). The Impacts of Road De-Icing Salts (NaCl) on Colloid Dispersion and Base Cation Pools in Roadside Soils, Water, Air, &Salt Pollution [Review of The Impacts of Road De-Icing Salts (NaCl) on Colloid Dispersion and Base Cation Pools in Roadside Soils, Water, Air, &Salt Pollution]. Springer Nature Link, 27, 281–289. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/A:1005221314856#citeas

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Effects on Soil and Plantings

Road salt can travel 10 meters off road edge via bounce and scatter

Heavy traffic & wind – 300 feet

Chloride reduces soil permeability and fertility
Increases alkalinity and density
Soil microbes: reduction in activity, biomass, community structure

Photo: Mary Rooney

Salt also affects the soil and plantings. This picture shows grass that has been killed alongside a heavily salted path. Studies have shown that with bounce and scatter, road salt often travels as far as 10 meters from the edge of the road. If there is heavy traffic that grinds it into finer particles, and a lot of wind, it can be blown as far as 300 feet. Once in the soil, chloride from salt reduces the soil permeability and fertility while increasing its alkalinity and density. It also reduces the activity, biomass, and community structure of soil microbes.

References:

UMass Extension: The Impact of Salts on Plants and How to Reduce Plant Injury form Winter Salt Applications:

https://ag.umass.edu/landscape/fact-sheets/impact-of-salts-on-plants-how-to-reduce-plant-injury-from-winter-salt

�Special Report 235. Highway Deicing. Comparing Salt and Magnesium Acetate. Transportation Research Board:

https://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/sr/sr235.html

�Minnesota Stormwater Manual:

https://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/sr/sr235.html

�Yan, N., Marschner, P., Cao, W., Zuo, C., & Qin, W. (2015). Influence of salinity and water content on soil microorganisms. International Soil and Water Conservation Research, 3(4), 316–323. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iswcr.2015.11.003

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Damage to Infrastructure

$5 billion a year:

Roads
Bridges
Culverts
Concrete structures
Vehicles
Flooring

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Damage to Infrastructure

Corrosion to drinking water pipes: leaching of toxic chemicals such as lead

(U.S. EPA 2021)

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

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Green Infrastructure

Riparian buffers and rain gardens only slow infiltration by salt
Chloride negatively charged: repelled by soil particles
Chloride can damage plantings
Chloride can reduce ability of microorganisms to degrade or alter other pollutants
Chloride degrades soil and makes riparian buffers less effective in soil stabilization

Photo : Tyler Groh

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�Effects on drinking water

Drinking water comes from rivers and groundwater

Water treatment does not remove salt

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How much salt?

Rock salt: crystals should be approximately 3 inches apart
12 oz sufficient for 20 paving squares
You don’t need to feel “crunch”
Excessive salt poses slip/fall risk
After snow/ice event, leftover salt should be swept up

Photo courtesy of Izaak Walton League Salt Watch

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Add your local data here

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Best Management Practices

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Best Management Practices

Benefits of BMP Implementation – maintain safe streets and roads while:

Reducing of impacts to water supply, infrastructure, and environment
Saving money on materials, labor, and fuel
Improved level of service

Taken from: Quick Resource Guide for Winter Maintenance BMPs, Southwestern PA Commission

This slide really gets at the heart of why best management practices matter. BMP implementation allows us to maintain safe streets and roads—which is always the top priority—while delivering multiple additional benefits.

First, BMPs help reduce impacts to the water supply, infrastructure, and the environment. By applying the right material, at the right time, and in the right amount, we limit excess salt that can damage drinking water sources and accelerate wear on roads, bridges, and parking structures.

Second, there’s a strong cost-saving component. Using less material overall—and using it more efficiently—means savings on salt, labor hours, and fuel. Many organizations find that BMPs pay for themselves fairly quickly through reduced material use and maintenance costs.

Finally, BMPs often lead to an improved level of service. Crews are more strategic and responsive, surfaces are treated more effectively, and conditions are easier to manage during prolonged or repeated storms. In other words, safety improves because practices are more intentional and informed.

So BMPs aren’t about compromising safety—they’re about achieving safety more efficiently, responsibly, and sustainably.”

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Calibrating spreaders

50% reduction in salt used
Calibrations should be performed annually or after a spreader is serviced
Each truck should be calibrated for each material that will be used
Goal of calibrating: to know how much material is put down for every setting on the truck that is used
PennDOT: 100 – 300 lbs/lane mile

Photo Marilee Ebus

One of the most effective—and lowest-cost—best management practices is calibrating salt spreading equipment. This is a simple step that can have a major impact on material costs and salt use. In fact, proper calibration can reduce salt application by up to 50 percent, without compromising safety.

Each truck should be calibrated at least once a year, and again any time a spreader is serviced or repaired. It’s also important to calibrate separately for each type of deicing material, since different materials flow and spread differently.

The purpose of calibration is straightforward: it allows operators to know exactly how much material is being applied at each truck setting. That information makes it possible to apply salt intentionally and consistently, rather than relying on guesswork.

PennDOT currently recommends application rates of 100 to 300 pounds per lane mile, depending on weather and pavement conditions. A lane mile refers to one lane of travel for one mile—so, for example, a two-lane road equals two lane miles per mile of roadway.

Because calibration is inexpensive, quick to implement, and delivers immediate savings, it’s often one of the easiest places to start when adopting best management practices

Reference:

PennDOT data from Tech Sheet 168, Table 10.

NH Hydraulic-Run Spreader Calibration

https://www.des.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt341/files/documents/bmp-hydro-calib.pdf

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Calibrating spreaders

Hamilton Township, NJ
2004/2005 winter
Calibrated all equipment twice
More snow events, 6” more of snow
Used $160,00 less of salt

Photo Marilee Ebus

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Road condition information systems

In-road sensors
Remote sensors
Truck-mounted sensors
Detailed real-time data on road conditions
Better informed decisions
Cost savings

Images: Permission Vailala

Municipalities can use road condition information systems which give detailed real-time data.

These employ different types of sensors.

In-road sensors like the one in the top picure, are embedded directly in the pavement and measure a combination of the current amount of deicer applied, its concentration, and temperatures.

Roadside remote sensors like the ones in the bottom picture,can identify water, ice, slush, snow, and frost. They can also determine grip on the pavement.

Truck-mounted sensors allow plow drivers to monitor road temperature in real-time, so that they can adjust application rates.

Maintenance personnel who have this type of detailed information are able to make better-informed decisions about how to use resources resulting in significant materials, fuel and labor cost savings.

References:

Vaisala: Case Study – Innovation and automation cuts road salt use in half

https://www.vaisala.com/en/case/innovation-automation-cuts-road-salt-use-half

Xweather Article - https://www.xweather.com/blog/article/wx-horizon-x-cranberry

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Road condition information systems

Cranberry Township, Butler County, PA

140 miles of roads
2022/2023
Installed 7 road sensors
Monitor air, pavement temperatures, road grip, precipitation
Prevented 10 - 16 callouts
Saved township $300,000 in labor and equipment
Sensors allow township to know precisely when salt applications needed, and when the pavement and sun will do the work

https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/pavement-sensors-help-cranberry-public-works-officials-keep-track-of-road-conditions/

Images: Permission Vailala

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Pre-Treatment: Brining

23.3% solution of salt and water
Pre-treatment
Can be mixed on site or purchased
Stays in position: no bounce and scatter
Prevents snow from bonding
Results in more effective plowing
75% reduction in salt use
Reduces materials/labor/fuel costs

Brine stripes in Allentown, Photo Jennifer Latzgo

This slide focuses on pre-treatment using brine, which is one of the most effective tools for reducing overall salt use while maintaining safety.

Brine is a 23.3 percent solution of salt and water. It’s applied before a storm, which is why it’s referred to as pre-treatment. Brine can either be mixed on site with relatively simple equipment or purchased pre-mixed.

One of the major advantages of brine is that it stays where it’s applied. Unlike dry salt, it doesn’t bounce or scatter off the pavement, which means far less material is wasted.

By creating a thin barrier on the pavement, brine prevents snow and ice from bonding to the surface. That makes plowing significantly more effective—snow comes off more cleanly, and less material is needed afterward.

Using brine can result in up to a 50 percent reduction in salt use. Because it reduces the amount of plowing that is needed, it also results in savings in labor and fuel.

Another benefit is that brine can be spread well ahead of a storm meaning that employees can do the work during their regular shifts resulting in savings on overtime.

References

Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies: Road Salt The Problem, The Solution, and How to Get There.

https://www.caryinstitute.org/sites/default/files/downloads/report_road_salt.pdf

�

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Pre-Treatment: Brining

North Fayette Township, Allegheny County

Started using brine in 2013
100 lane miles of road
30 snowfall events/year
Before brining: 90 tons/event
After brining: 5 – 10 tons/event
Est. savings: $141,000 per year

Photo Jennifer Latzgo

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Pre-wetting salt

Spray with brine
Less bounce and scatter
Salt activates faster
30% reduction in materials
78% stayed in center of roadway
Reuse salt truck wash water to pre-wet salt or make brine

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Anti-Icing Decision Tree

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Deicing Application Rate Charts

PennDOT Publication 23, Chapter 4, Appendix H

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Automated spreader controls

Program salt application
Variable application rates
Adjust for speed
Adjust for curves and hills
Vehicle location sensors target precise locations
Data allows informed decisions by management

Photo: Courtesy Western Products

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Segmented/live-edge plow

50% reduction salt used
Conform to contours of road
Cleaner scrape
Wider = faster
Save $ on labor and fuel

Segmented plow used with permission Metal Pless

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Salt storage

Under cover
Level site
Impervious surface
Outside 100-year floodplain, areas of localized flooding, stormwater facilities
Drainage controls: prevent runoff
Clean up spills
Inspected and maintained regularly

Road salt that is not stored properly can be dissolved by rain resulting in salt runoff and leaching into the ground. Salt that gets wet can also lump together making it more difficult to load and apply.

Here are some guidelines for salt pile storage:

All salt piles should be covered by permanent structures like the one in the picture, or under weighted, heavy-duty tarps.

They should be on an impervious surface and the site should be level. and outside the 100-year floodplain as well as areas of localized flooding and away from stormwater facilities.

There should be adequate drainage controls to prevent any runoff.

After loading, staff should clean up any spills that occur.

Salt piles should be inspected and maintained regularly.

References:

Stormwater Best Management Practice, Deicing Material Application and Storage:

https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2021-11/bmp-deicing-material-application-and-storage.pdf

Southwestern Water Resource Center, PennDOT: Quick Resource Guide for Winter Maintenance BMP’s

https://spcwater.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/WinterMaintGuidebook.pdf

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Treatment and recycling of truck wash water

High levels of sodium, chloride, and other pollutants
Capture, treat and recycle wash water or storage facility runoff

Photo: Courtesy Interclean

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Training of staff

PennDOT Local Technical Assistance (LTAP)
Public works employees:

Pre-wetting, anti-icing practices
Spreader calibration
Material application rates
Plowing techniques
Environmental awareness

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Training of staff

Management:

Planning & preparation of year-round comprehensive maintenance operation
Budgeting
Workforce training
Equipment preparation
Material procurement strategies
Public relations for winter operations

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Evaluation of performance

Constant process

After each winter maintenance event:

Assess performance
Analyze and data
Make necessary adjustments

End of season:

Level of service
Quantity of materials
Labor costs

Analysis drives decisions about future improvements

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Municipal Salt Management Plan

Commitment to implementing Best Management Practices while providing safe, efficient and cost-effective winter maintenance of roads.

Salt management policy and objectives
Review of current practices
Documentation of policies, procedures, and guidelines
BMP’s and assigned responsibilities
Training
Monitoring, reporting, and analysis
Management review

A municipal salt management plan is a commitment to implementing Best Management Practices while providing safe, efficient, and cost effective winter maintenance of roads. It should include a salt management policy and objectives that commit to measurable improvements. There should be a thorough review of current practices. Policies, procedures and guidelines should be determined and documented. This would include Best Management Practices and the assignment of responsibilities. Before the winter season, there should be a comprehensive staff education and training program. During the winter, there should be monitoring to determine if benchmarks are being met. And annually, there should be a review by management to analyze progress and determine the next year’s plan.

References:

Minnesota Stormwater Manual

MS4 fact sheet – Winter Roads Materials Maintenance

https://stormwater.pca.state.mn.us/index.php?title=MS4_fact_sheet_-_Winter_Road_Materials_Management

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BMP’s - Where to start

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Training employees
Calibrate equipment annually
Use application rate charts to target deicer usage
Evaluate performance

Consider these technology improvements:

Localized weather forecasts
Road temperature sensors
Brine making equipment and training
Segmented snow plows

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Quick Resource Guide for Winter Maintenance BMP’s: PA DEP, Southwestern PA Commission Water Resource Center

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Questions?

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State-wide network of professionals and volunteers dedicated to reducing road salt in Pennsylvania

Further information on switching to BMP’s:

paroadsaltactionwg@gmail.com