Sixteenth International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability

Abstract

Road salt and chemical deicers use has increased significantly over the decades. Deicing roadways reduces accidents and injuries and mitigates losses of millions of dollars to local economies due to closed roadways. However, these benefits do not come without fiscal and environmental costs. Deicers induce corrosion and degradation of soils and waterways. Global estimates of 60 million metric tons of salt alone being used annually for deicing predicate environmentally sustainable and economically feasible alternative options. Our goal was to compare the fiscal and ecotoxicological impacts of standard and alternative methods of deicing. The four chemical deicers compared were sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, calcium magnesium acetate, and potassium chloride. Salt, the least expensive, averaging $42/ton, magnesium chloride has the least environmental and corrosive impact ~$111/ton, calcium magnesium acetate ~$1,500/ ton, and potassium chloride ~$216/ton. Chemical limitations, saltwater runoff, and corrosion are an issue for all of the alternatives listed above. These deicers do not contain sodium, they do contain highly soluble and very mobile chloride. Chlorides are not naturally broken down, metabolized, taken up, or removed from the environment, making it exceptionally toxic to all life. For alternative deicers we compared pickle/cheese brine, beet juice, grass/kitchen waste, and carbohydrate enhanced chemicals. All deicing methods have fiscal and environmental cost. Road salt alternatives and additives might alter ecosystem function and services. Comprehensive investigation of road salt alternatives and road salt additives should be conducted before wide‐scale use is implemented. Further research is needed to determine their impacts on higher trophic levels.