Is the government going to ban the use of Road Salt?

• No. The government will not ban the use of road salt. Road safety is one of Canada's main concerns. The government wants to ensure the use best management practices are being utilized while managing road salt.

What are some environmental concerns associated with road salt?

• Over 5 million tonnes of road salt is used to mitigate ice and snow each year across Canada. Although road salt provides safer road conditions, it has been proven that it negatively effects roadside vegetation, water, plants and animals.

What is a ROAD SALT MANAGEMENT PLAN?

• A road salt management plan is a detailed plan on how salt users propose to improve their salt management skills.  These plans take into consideration all activities potentially resulting in the release of road salts into the environment, including storage, application of salts on roads, and disposal of snow containing road salt.

What are the 4 R's of winter road maintenance?

1. Right Amount
2. Right Material
3. Right Place
4. Right Time

What are "Vulnerable Areas"?

• Area sensitive to road salts where additional salt management measures may be necessary to mitigate the environmental effects of road salts in that area.

How safe are Anti-icing Chemicals?

• Liquid anti-icers contain magnesium chloride or calcium chloride. Magnesium and Calcium are natural resources essential for plant growth.  They are naturally in soil and water and are tolerated in high levels of by most plants.

What are some benefits when considering anti-icing and other snow control methods?

1. Anti-icing is effective and cost efficient when used appropriately
2. Liquid chemicals are better than solids for anti-icing.  Training and basic understanding on the use of these chemicals is important.
3. Ant-icing chemicals have also been proven to have fewer or no negative effect on the environment
4. Prevents ice and/or snow from bonding to the road surfaces
5. May reduce the amount of other chemicals that would be required to maintain safer road conditions.
6. Less corrosion on infrastructures.
7. Can also be used as dust suppressants.

Can using anti-icers be cost effective for your business in the long run?

• The use of anti-icers can reduce overall cost.  Using of anti-icing chemicals can keep your customers happy and result in getting the job done on time.  Applying anti-icers ahead of time to roadways, sidewalks and parking lots, can minimize your work time and snow removal efforts.  Anti-icing chemicals prevent ice and snow bonding to concrete surfaces, which will keep people safe while walking and driving.