Iced Out

FOR NEARLY 70 PERCENT of Americans, the winter months come with nasty weather. Snow and ice storms may look beautiful, but they can make for treacherous roads and walkways. The most commonly used item for managing ice is road salt, or sodium chloride. While this salt does melt ice, when overused or mismanaged it can become a serious environmental pollutant.

According to the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, 10 to 20 million tons of salt are applied to America’s roads each year. Sodium chloride–based