How Much Road Salt Is Used In Ontario?
Ontario suffers from a road salt addiction. Experts believe it is also converting our waterways to saltwater. Ontario dispenses over half of the 5 million tons of road salt distributed across Canada each year, and experts fear it's affecting our ecosystem
While using road salt to keep streets clear in the winter is effective, it has certain drawbacks.
One of the most terrible aspects of winter is the white stuff that covers our roads and walkways. We're not talking about snow, but about the road salt that is applied whenever snow falls on our roadways.
Every year, the City of Toronto puts up to 150,000 tons of salt to its roughly 5,100 miles of roads. Its purpose is to control snow and ice, making driving, walking, and getting around safer.
Salt is popular among cities and contractors because it is cheap and simple to distribute. However, there is cause for caution when it comes to road salt. One drawback is that it does not always work. Salt is used to reduce the freezing point of water, making it more difficult for ice to form, although it only works when temperatures exceed -7°C. When weather fall below that level, the city uses brine - a salt and water combination - ahead of snowfall to prevent snow and water on roads from freezing.
Road salt is also damaging to the ecosystem. Environment Canada released the findings of a five-year assessment of the effects of road salts in 2001, stating that they have a negative impact on aquatic ecosystems, soil, vegetation, and wildlife. In March 2021, the University of Toronto released the results of a research on the impact of road salt on the aquatic environments in the city's rivers. It discovered that salt runoff in the springtime was having a harmful influence well into the summer.
"We discovered that nearly 90% of the samples we collected from four GTA rivers and creeks summer exceeded federal guidelines for long-term exposure of aquatic life to chloride," said Donald Jackson, the professor of aquatic ecology in the school of ecology and evolutionary biology.
WWF Canada discovered similar findings across the southern Great Lakes. The study it conducted has indicated that many urban and rural streams in southern Ontario have record high chlorine levels. According to WWF research, some are even more salty than the ocean throughout the winter.
Ontario is over-salting its garages, sidewalks, and roadways," stated WWF Canada's vice-president of freshwater, Elisabeth Hendriks. "A small pill bottle or saltshaker is all that's needed to melt what's left of a city sidewalk slab
Aside from environmental concerns, road salt is corrosive, causing car damage, stains on shoes and clothing, and lawn damage during the spring melt.
The disadvantages of road salt are causing municipalities and companies to seek measures to reduce its use. Others are also experimenting with alternative goods to see whether salt can be eliminated entirely. In 2016, the City of Toronto developed a Salt Management Plan, which contained a list of strategies to reduce salt use. Examples include increased operator instruction and equipping more vehicles with anti-icing and soaking equipment.
In a message to the editor, Hakeem Muhammad, the city's transportation representative, stated that road salt remains the most efficient and effective approach to maintain roads safe during the winter. However, the city is aware that its use has an adverse effect on the environment.
Muhammad stated that city staff carefully manages the use of salt to reduce its negative affects as much as possible, with the goal of achieving a 10 to 15% decrease by pre-wetting the salt so that less is necessary.
"Salt distributors are set up at the beginning of each winter time and employees are being continuously trained," he said. "New machinery will be bought as part of the new winter service contracts starting in the fall of 2022, which will be more efficient when it comes to salt usage"
Private contractors can learn the latest techniques for salt management from Smart About Salt, a non-profit organization. Its online training and certification programs offer guidance on how to reduce salt consumption in order to save money while also benefiting the environment.
Other options to road salt exist and are currently being investigated. The Sustainable Technologies Research Program, a collaboration of conservation authorities in the Credit Valley, Lake Simcoe, and Toronto regions, is conducting study on several options. These can be classified into three types: chloride deicers, acetate deicers, and byproducts of agriculture (organics). The study showed that all of the options have drawbacks, such as increased prices, particular application demands, a lack of effectiveness, and environmental implications.
The University of Waterloo, working together with the Toronto and Region Environment Authority, examined organic and semi-organic options. The study found that basic anti-icers had lower chloride and salt levels but greater amounts of minerals and organic carbon. When temperatures fall below -20 degrees Celsius, Toronto spreaders use a de-icing solution derived from sugar cane molasses and (much less) salt. The salty brine used to make mozzarella cheese has been utilized in Wisconsin for several years and has shown promising results.
Traction agents are another alternative. Sand is commonly utilized in rural areas when salt is ineffective. There are also natural traction agents available, such as EcoTraction, which is produced from volcanic rock. It can be used on its own by homeowners or blended with de-icing agents and dispersed on roadways or parking lots by municipalities and subcontractors.
Related Topics:
Himalayan Salt Lamp: How To Use It
How To Avoid Bulk Salt Shortage In Canada
