Effects of Sodium Chloride as a De-icing Material and Alternative Options

• How De-Icing Materials Work
• Negative Effects of Salt as a De-Icing Material
  • Vegetation
  • People
  • Pets
    • Protecting Your Pets from Road Salt
  •  Wildlife
    • • Birds
      • Mammals
      • Habitats
      • Aquatic Life
• Rock Salt Alternatives
  • Sand
  • Calcium Magnesium Acetate
  • Calcium Chloride
  • Magnesium Chloride
  • Potassium Acetate
• Pet Friendly Alternatives
  • Urea
  • Alfalfa Meal
  • Sugar Beet Juice or Corn Solution
  • Other Pet Friendly Options

• Effects of Elevated Salt Levels on Vegetation
  Elevated levels of salt in runoff water can render nearby soil infertile. Salt absorbs water at a rapid rate and when present in soil at elevated levels it competes with plants for moisture. This can create drought-like conditions for vegetation, even though there may be plenty of water in the soil. In addition to these drought-like conditions, the sodium and chloride ions of the salt break down in the water, thus making the chloride easier to absorb by the plants root system. As this chloride builds up in the plant’s leaves, it will eventually reach toxic levels causing leaf scorch or leaf burn. This is when plant tissues begin to brown including the leaf margins and tips, and is usually accompanied by yellowing or darkening of the veins. Alternatively, when the brine is sprayed or splashed onto nearby plant life, the salt can enter their cells. If salt enters the plants cells, it will reduce its ability to survive through cold weather.
  

• Effects of Elevated Salt Levels on People
  Excess salt doesn’t affect humans as drastically as animals and plant life, but when found in high enough quantities in the environment, it can cause issues by seeping into local water supplies. People that are at risk for high blood pressure are especially at risk if elevated salt levels are found in their local drinking water. City water supplies can become so polluted with excess salt that they need to be temporarily shut down. Another health risk posed by road salt seeping into local water supplies is caused by the sodium ferrocyanide that is added to rock salt to prevent it from clumping during storage. By itself it isn’t very toxic, but when exposed to heat and acidity it can produce toxic cyanide compounds.
  

• Effects of Elevated Salt Levels on Pets
  Rock salt is toxic to most of our pets at home. Keeping an eye on whether or not they are ingesting too much salt is extremely important. In the winter months it can be difficult to monitor this if you’re not sure what to look for. When pets walk on a sidewalk that has been treated with rock salt to remove ice, there is a risk of salt pellets being trapped in-between the pads on their paws. This can be extremely painful to your pet and can lead to irritation or burns on or in-between their pads. When salt is used to de-ice surfaces, the brine created from the melting of the ice leaves behind a salty film or coating on the surface when the water evaporates. This salty film can coat the bottom of your pet’s paws and cause them to dry out and become irritated. If your pet starts limping or licking their feet more frequently after going for walks in winter conditions—this could be a sign of “salty paws.” This is important to watch for, as salt in high quantities is toxic to dogs and will irritate their digestion. There is also the risk of cyanide compounds or other contaminates found in the salt poisoning your pet as well.
  

• • Wash and dry your pets feet as soon as you return from your walk. Make sure you use warm water, do not use hot water. This extreme temperature change can cause harm to your pet’s paws.
  • If your pet will tolerate them, boots or pet shoes are a great defense against harmful de-icing materials and the cold. If not, using a natural cream or wax based paw protection product that you can apply before going on your walk is a great alternative.
  • Make sure you treat any paw abrasions immediately! Letting an injury like that remain untreated can lead to infection.

• Effects of Elevated Salt on Wildlife
  
  
  The use of rock salt as a de-icer has a variety of negative effects on the wildlife in your region. Birds are among the most sensitive species of wildlife to salt. The salt crystals that are spread to remove ice are often confused as seeds and are ingested by birds. Ingesting even small quantities of salt can cause toxicosis and death in your local bird population.
  

Mammals such as deer and moose are attracted to the salt crystals and salty puddles in the road, leading to increased rates of car accidents and wildlife fatalities. Many animals rely on and drink snowmelt as a means of hydration in the winter months and during the transition from winter to spring. When rock salt is used in the area to de-ice road ways it leads to increased levels of salt in the snow melt. When animals drink this snow melt it can potentially cause salt toxicity. Symptoms of this can include dehydration, confusion and weakness.

• Sand as a De-Icing Material
  Is typically used as an additive to other de-icing materials, as it doesn’t melt ice itself. It does provide traction on ice’s slippery surface and one of the major benefits of using sand is the cost. Sand is much cheaper than its de-icing counterparts, and when mixed with other materials, it can help you use less de-icing material while still effectively melting ice and providing traction. But this isn’t a magical answer! Increased use of sand can have negative impacts on the environment as well. When used in large amounts, it can clog storm drains, forcing cities and municipalities to have to pay for cleanup or risk flooding problems. As it becomes embedded in snow and ice, it loses its effectiveness driving some people to use more. When it makes its way to local water ways and streams it can begin to cloud them up which prevents sunlight from reaching aquatic plants and burying life on the stream bed.

• Calcium Magnesium Acetate as a De-Icing Material
  Some people refer to this choice as being one of the most eco-friendly de-icers on the market. Though it isn’t completely neutral to wildlife, it has a low toxicity to plants and microbes and is also less corrosive to steel. The big draw backs to this material are its cost and the amount needed to achieve effective results. This de-icing solution can also lower dissolved oxygen levels in soils and water bodies, which can potentially harm aquatic life.

• Calcium Chloride as a De-Icing Material
  This is a great alternative for salt in areas where the temperature drops below 0°F (-18°C) and in areas that have high levels of sodium in source water. This de-icing material is effective in temperatures as low as -25°F (-32°C) and is less harmful to plants and soil than road salt, though some evidence suggests it does damage roadside evergreens.
  
  This material is effective at such low temperatures because it draws in moisture to help melt ice and snow and releases heat as it dissolves. Using calcium chloride instead of salt can reduce your road salt usage by 10 to 15 percent, but will cost you approximately 3 times as much. Unfortunately, this material does have some negative qualities about it, as well. When used it keeps pavement wet, which can be counter-productive to your efforts to make surfaces less slick. This material is also corrosive to concrete and metal and leaves a residue on surfaces that can be tracked into your house and potentially ruin carpets.

• Potassium Acetate as a De-Icing Material
  This material is most commonly applied as a pre-wetting material used in conjunction with solid de-icing materials like road salt. Functioning in temperatures as low as -75°F (-60°C), this de-icer far exceeds the cold weather performance of any other de-icer on the market. This is also a biodegradable and non-corrosive option that requires fewer applications than most de-icing materials. It’s commonly used as a pre-treatment but is also effective being used alone, without other de-icing materials. It’s most effective when applied in narrow bands across a road. This option isn’t without negative effects, it can reduce oxygen levels in water and it leaves roads wet and slightly slick. It also costs upwards of eight-times the cost of salt!

• Urea as a De-Icing Material
  This option is possibly one of the most commonly used pet-friendly de-icing materials. As a natural fertilizer, this option is less corrosive and more animal-friendly than road salt, but isn’t without its effects on the environment. Since this material is a fertilizer it contains nutrients that plants thrive on, but when used in the quantities required for de-icing—it has the same effect as over fertilizing. This can be more damaging than the effects of salt and can have further reaching effects on the surrounding environment. Using urea in this quantity will raise the nitrogen levels in the runoff in your area and can cause algae blooms in nearby lakes, ponds and rivers.

• Sugar Beet Juice or Corn Solution as a De-Icing Material
  Recently certain carbohydrate-based liquids have been found to be effective in the prevention of ice formation. Two agricultural byproducts have been researched: left over corn mash from alcohol distilleries and beet juice. These are occasionally used as a base for de-icing mixtures and increase the cold weather performance of salt. Functioning in temperatures as low as -25°F (-31°C), this mixture brings road salt up to par with calcium chloride in cold weather performance. As a carbohydrate solution, this mixture doesn’t cause the same level of environmental damage, and it isn’t just non-corrosive, but actually reduces corrosion. This lowers the need for corrosion inhibitors. Sugar beet juice or corn solutions pose no major threat to wildlife or people, but could carry with them a strong odor, as they are formed from organic matter. These liquids can also be used to treat ice on their own without the use of salt.

• Other Pet Safe De-Icing Options
  For those who prefer a pet safe option you can purchase, there are several pet safe de-icers on the market. You can even purchase some at your local hardware store. Some pet safe brands include: Safe Step, Safe Paw and SPLASH Pet Safe Ice Melt. These products can be ordered online or found at some local hardware stores.