Road salt
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The umbrella term road salt refers to any one of three chlorides: sodium chloride (rock salt), magnesium chloride and calcium chloride. With alternative deicing agents like calcium magnesium acetate also taking on solid forms.
History[edit]
The first use of road salt in the United States was in 1938 when New Hampshire began to experiment with granular sodium chloride. A few years later, in 1941–1942, New Hampshire implemented a wider use of road salt on their local roads and highways. Around this time, the United States also expanded their highway system. As the country grew.[1] dependent on highways for personal and commercial use, states began to notice the benefits of road salt on highway safety. Salt use began to soar. Salt use continued to grow from 1950 to 1960, eventually reaching almost 10 million tons in less than 15 years. Today, the United States alone uses between 10 and 20 million tons of road salt each winter. The use of road salt dramatically changed the way the salt belt operated during snowstorms. Prior to road salt use, the United States relied on plowing and abrasives like sand and cinders to mitigate snow in highways and roads [2]. Generally, people would stay out of the roads [2] and miss days of school or work. Deicing chemicals facilitated plowing, reduced the need for sanding and aftermath clean up, and prevented snow accumulation in paved roads. Allowing for fewer disruptions in commercial traffic and decreased hazardous driving [2]. A 2014 study found that Road salt reduced collisions by 85 percent. A before and after analysis on four-lane roads showed a 93 percent decrease in highways after deicing [3].
Bare pavement concept[edit]
The bare pavement concept, which promised motorists snow- and ice-free roads soon after storms, quickly established a policy in most cities and suburbs and was a contributing factor in the rise of road salt use in the United States. Today each state facilitates their own snow removal policies on roads and interstate highways. Though most states declare property owners to be responsible for removing snow and ice from public side walks and walk ways adjacent to their property[4]
Salt application and storage[edit]
Salt application began as shoveled from the back of trucks and made more efficient in the 1950s by attaching spinning disks to the width of trucks that sprayed salt along the road [2]. As technology improved states began to improve salt application through different forms. Creating windrows in the sides of roads produced concentrated brines that would permeate ice and separated it from the pavement. Prewetting salt with water or calcium chloride, allowing the compound to stick to pavement for longer times, effectively reducing wind and traffic scattering of salt [2].
Storage facilities are usually stored in bulk near highway maintenance facilities. The size and amount of storage facilities vary by sate. Every state must take rain, wind and snow into consideration when storing large amounts of salt in order to prevent leaching. Salt storage unites can look like barns, sheds or even domes to shield from the elements.
Spending on road salt[edit]
There are about 4.0 million miles of highways and streets in the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii .[citation needed] As each state is responsible for their highway clean up, this makes states the heaviest users of road salt. The price of different de-icing methods varies. Salt, sodium chloride, is the cheapest road salt, averaging 4–80 dollars per ton[citation needed] and is the most common deicing agent [5]. With other road salts like calcium chloride, magnesium chloride being relatively more costly. Non-road salts like calcium magnesium acetate and potassium acetate are the most expensive deicing agent because they are less readily available, and because they are a non-chloride compound, they are considered more environmentally friendly. In 2019, the United States alone produced 42 million tons of road salt, valuing at $2.3 billion.
While road salt is an effective de-icing agent, that paved the way for highway safety and economic stability, the excessive and constant use of road salt has had adverse effects on motor vehicles, bridges, the environment and drinking water.
Effects of road salt on motor vehicles[edit]
In the mid-1950s, car owners noticed damages to their vehicles, the culprit, road salts containing chloride can eat away at metals. Motor Vehicles have suffered corrosion damages ranging from simple cosmetic issues to functional and structural damage which worsen performance or structural integrity. Manufacturers had to account for corrosion by making more resistant body metals like stainless steel, aluminum alloys, plastics, coted metals, and galvanized steel [2]. The Automotive Corrosion and Prevention Committee of the Society of Automotive Engineers studies corrosion of the surface, blisters and perforations in the Detroit metropolitan area. Three surveys were conducted for model in years 1980-1985. In 1980 and 1981 models, perforation was found in 23 panels ranging from the fenders to the roof. In 1984 and 1985 models, perforations were found in only seven panels. </ref>[6]
Effects of road salt on the environment[edit]
Over the years, many reports have been made regarding the wellbeing of the effects of road salt on the environment. Studies note a loss of vegetation along highways and city boulevards.[7] Around the 1950s, the New Hampshire Highway Department reported the death and removal of about 14,000 trees along 3,700 miles of salt treated highways. Too much salt applications can harm vegetation through absorption by the plant roots and through salt accumulation on foliage and branches via splash and sprays [2]. Indicators can look like late summer discoloration, reduced root growth and dying twigs in branches in the crown. Exposure to too much salt can affect the plants ability to take in water and perform photosynthesis.[8][9] Recent studies have also shown that road salt exposure can also have dramatic effects on amphibian life. A decrease in embryonic survival in certain species of frogs, salamanders and fish. While some studies even note a masculinization of frogs under sublethal conditions.
References[edit]
- ↑ Sheppard, Seairra (February 28, 2022). "The Trouble With Road Salt — And How It Reinforces Car Dependence". Streetsblog USA.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Highway deicing : comparing salt and calcium magnesium acetate. Washington, DC: Transportation Research Board, National Research Council. 1991. ISBN 978-0-309-05123-1. Search this book on
- ↑ Mohn, Tanya. "Salt + Winter Roads = Safety, A New Study Finds". Forbes.
- ↑ "The Complete Guide to Snow Removal Laws by State". Rentec Direct. September 28, 2020.
- ↑ "How salt works and overview of deicing chemicals". Minnesota Stormwater Manual.
- ↑ Bryant, Thompson (1989). Automotive Corrosion & Prevention Conference proceedings. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers. ISBN 0-89883-491-0. Search this book on
- ↑ Sucoff, Edward (1975). "Effect of Deicing Salts on Woody Vegetation Along Minnesota Roads".
- ↑ Dai, H. L.; Zhang, K. L.; Xu, X. L.; Yu, H. Y. (January 1, 2012). "Evaluation on the Effects of Deicing Chemicals on Soil and Water Environment". Procedia Environmental Sciences. pp. 2122–2130. doi:10.1016/j.proenv.2012.01.201.
- ↑ Łuczak, Katarzyna; Czerniawska-Kusza, Izabela; Rosik-Dulewska, Czesława; Kusza, Grzegorz (March 5, 2021). "Effect of NaCl road salt on the ionic composition of soils and Aesculus hippocastanum L. foliage and leaf damage intensity". Scientific Reports. p. 5309. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-84541-x.
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