Don’t Be So Salty: MPCA Offers Tools and Tips for Responsible Deicing

(KNSI) — The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is asking property owners to take it easy with the salt this winter.

Salt is the clear winner when it comes to melting snow and ice, but the MPCA says it is often over applied. Approximately 445,000 tons of chloride containing salt is scattered on roads and other surfaces each year. The salt contains chloride, which the MPCA says runs into storm drains, lakes, rivers, and groundwater and is toxic to fish and aquatic life.

No environmentally safe alternatives to deicing salt exist yet, but they say smart salting can help.

Shovel and scrape down to the bare surface because the more snow and ice removed, the less salt is needed.

If it’s below 15 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s too cold for salt to work. Sand can provide traction, which can help prevent falls. Coffee grounds can also work like sand for traction and are acidic, which can help melt ice.

Around 12 ounces – or roughly one coffee mug – can treat a 20 foot driveway or 10 sidewalk squares equivalent to 1,000 square feet. Once the ice is melted and the surface is dry, sweep up the leftovers and reuse them.

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