Local organizations bring awareness to salt usage

Salt is synonymous with winter in the state of Wisconsin. We use plenty of it in front of our houses, on our sidewalks, and on roadways. But how much salt is enough?

Some groups across the state of Wisconsin are bringing awareness about salt usage, and how to properly use it while finding other solutions. Alyssa Reinke is the Northeast Wisconsin Consortium Coordinator for the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance in association with the Wisconsin Salt Wise Partnership. She says overuse of salt can lead to runoff, which can contaminate bodies of water.

“We can’t take the salt out (of water),” Reinke says, “one teaspoon of salt permanently pollutes 5 gallons of water. A little bit of salt makes a large imapct. Too much salt can be toxic for aquatic animals.”

Now it’s not to say stop using salt, Reinke and others say to use salt more efficiently. When salting Reinke explains, “You don’t need as much salt as you think you do… If you read the packaging on the salt you’re getting, it tells you explicitly how to use it for it to be the most effective and least harmful to the environment.” She also says salt works most effectively when each piece of salt is around 3 inches apart from another piece.

Reinke also says to clear snow by shoveling or snow plowing to allow ice to melt in the sunlight, reducing the need for salt.

Alternatives to salt

Reinke explains the biggest residential alternative to salt is sand, just not to use excessive amounts of it. Some municipalities use it for traction when it’s too cold for ice, but some communities can’t use it.

“It’s kind of a double-edged sward,” Reinke says, “It helps with traction, but it also puts sediment into their waterways, which is not helpful.” But for residential applications, Reinke says it’s perfectly fine to use sand. “Sand or birdseed or something other than salt is significantly better.” Other alternatives can be drudged out, but not salt, Reinke explains.

Many communities and departments have been using salt brine in place of salt, especially before heavy snowfalls. “You have more control over the solution and how much you can put down.”

Brine is laid down and sticks to roadways, keeping snow from freezing to the road. Salt can bounce on roadways and fall off the roadways into the environment. Reinke says some communities have even gotten creative with the brine they use. “There’s one (community) that partnered with a local pickle factory and uses the pickle brine to (treat) the roads. There are also other communities across the state that are using fermented fruits and vegetables for brining their roads, with the alcohol in those fruits and vegetables being more effective than salt brine.

Changing mindsets

Reinke says the big goal is to change peoples attitudes about salt.

“The big thing is behavioral changes,” Reinke says. “It’s recognizing that we live in a cold climate at least part of the year, and that we can’t always drive down the road in a snowstorm… I’m not saying municipalities don’t care about road safety, but (sometimes) there’s only so much they can do. At some point, salt and brine isn’t going to be effective,” especially as temperatures drop to the teens and single digits.