The first snap of winter in the Youghiogheny River watershed brings out plow trucks, ice scrapers, snowblowers, piles of winter clothing, and road salt.
Road salting helps keep drivers safe in the winter, but we use a lot of it. Excessive use of road salt can contaminate drinking water, kill or endanger wildlife, increase soil erosion, and damage private and public property.
After all, “road salt” is more than just sodium — roadway deicers can also include chloride, magnesium, anti-caking agents, and calcium that eventually run off roads and make their way into waterways.
Many organizations are working to find more environmentally friendly ways to keep our roads clear, but you can do your part at home. The following five tips will help you maintain your driveway and walkways while being a good steward of our watershed.
1. Stay On Top of It
The most efficient and effective means of snow removal is physical removal either by shoveling, plowing, or snow blowing. Keep up with snow clearing so that your driveway and sidewalks don’t get hard packed and icy. If you can remove the snow before it has a chance to bond to paved surfaces, your work will be much easier. Also, try to avoid driving over snow in your driveway. Snow packed by the weight of a car tends to bond to pavement and will be much more difficult to remove.
2. Use the Sun
Keep an eye on the forecast. If sunny days are ahead, even if temps are going to remain below freezing, you may be able to use the sun to help you out. Exposed portions of dark pavement will absorb heat on sunny days and help loosen snow and ice in adjacent areas. Get out at the sunniest part of the afternoon to remove snow and ice that has loosened.
3. Break the Ice
If snow and ice become bonded to your pavement, consider using an ice breaker or flat blade metal shovel to break it up. First trying scraping the ice off the pavement, if this doesn’t work you can pound on it vertically and hopefully break it into chunks. Once you get a small portion loose, the rest will usually break free much easier.
4. Use Abrasives for Traction
One of the principal concerns around our homes and businesses is the risk of someone slipping and falling. Sand serves as a good abrasive to provide traction and has the added benefit of being dark in color which on sunny days will help melt surrounding snow and ice. At the end of the season, sweep and collect the sand for reuse next year. Letting it run off can be problematic, since excessive amounts of sand in creeks and streams can smother critical habitat for fish and other aquatic organisms.
5. Use Sodium Chloride Alternatives
Sodium chloride, (aka rock salt), is the most common de-icer used on roads, parking lots, and walkways. But excessive amounts of both sodium and chloride can be harmful to nearby vegetation, birds, wildlife, and aquatic ecosystems. Sodium chloride can also make it into our groundwater, contaminating our drinking water supplies for many years.
Although chemical deicers are effective, they not the only choice. Alternatives for small areas or thin areas of ice include:
- Warm water mixed with table salt or water conditioning salt
- Pickle brine solutions
- Sand
- Bird seed
- If you can anticipate the forecast, cover small areas (such as your steps) with heavy, waterproof plastic or a tarp.
Even if you’re using an environmentally friendly option, spread any deicer conservatively. Even sand or table salt will cause problems if you use too much.
By following the tips above you will help protect your local environment while also maintaining a safe driveway and sidewalk. If you want to go a step further, consider attending a local village, town, or county meeting and express your concerns over the negative impacts of road salt on the environment!
Sources: Penn State Extension, EPA, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency