News

Road salt levels in some local creeks toxic to aquatic life, says riverkeeper | CBC News

The amount of road salt that people, businesses, and cities are using over the winter is likely too much and is definitely hurting local waterways, according to the Ottawa Riverkeeper.

The organization began monitoring how much road salt is making its way into local creeks last winter as part of its road salt monitoring pilot project.

The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment has established federal guidelines around the amount of chloride — which is partly what salt breaks down into when it dissolves in water — in waterbodies.

Those guidelines state that 120 milligrams per litre leads to chronic, long-term toxicity, while anything above 640 milligrams per litre is considered acutely toxic.

According to the Ottawa Riverkeeper, researchers found water samples containing chloride amounts five times the acute level.

"Last year we were seeing levels well into the thousands," said Katy Alambo, a biologist with the Ottawa River Keeper. 

"We've expanded the program [this year] and we're seeing similar if not higher numbers."

Not only does chloride take a long time to break down further, it's also toxic to aquatic life such as fish, amphibians, invertebrates and insects.

"High chloride levels can cause disruptions to their reproduction cycles, their growth cycles," Alambo said. 

"In cases of species like amphibians who respire through their skin, it can also pose consequences there, too, and keep them from being able to breathe properly."

You might be using too much salt

As part of a pilot project that ran between January and March 2020, volunteers monitored five creeks — Pinecrest, Graham, Green, McKay, and Moore creeks — that were close to roads, shopping plazas, residential areas and anywhere else in Ottawa and Gatineau, Que., where high amounts of road salt could be used.

They measured the water's conductivity at each of those creeks after a large snowfall, rainstorm, thaw, or any event that would lead to more water entering the creeks. 

The conductivity of water rises the more dissolved ions like chloride there are. If the volunteers measured a certain level of conductivity, they then took a water sample to be analyzed.

What they found, Alambo said, suggested too much road salt was being used.

"We definitely understand that salt is important to keeping our roads safe," said Alambo. "One coffee mug full of road salt is pretty much all you need to de-ice one of your standard to two-car driveways."

Salt is also ineffective at temperatures colder than –10 C, she added.

Instead of salt, Alambo suggests using sand, gravel, or even cat litter to help provide traction.

The Ottawa Riverkeeper also plans to approach the City of Ottawa about its salt use, especially as municipal officials are in the midst of reviewing the city's winter maintenance standards.

New Film Documents Lake George Road Salt Reduction - WIT Advisers

As part of an effort to reduce the use of road salt in the Adirondacks, the FUND For Lake George has released a film to demonstrate how communities in the Lake George Basin have been able to use new technology to save money and protect the environment.

Efforts to reduce the use of road salt in the Adirondacks have been gaining steam over the last few years.

In December, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law the Randy Preston Road Salt Reduction Act. The new law creates a task force and begins a three-year pilot program to reduce salt use while keeping roads safe for driving during cold New York winters.

Pre-dating the legislation, communities around Lake George entered a voluntary Memorandum of Understanding to reduce road salt use and protect the lake that drives the economy and provides clean drinking water to the region.

Lake George Waterkeeper Chris Navitsky often says that salt levels in Lake George have tripled over the last 40 years – not to mention the impacts on groundwater and streams near roadways treated with salt.

“When you think about the sodium levels, at the current rate that we’re seeing in the lake, those levels in 20 years – people with sodium-restricted diets, those people will not be able to drink water from the lake,” said Navitsky.

Navitksy, along with FUND For Lake George Executive Director Eric Siy and consultant Phill Sexton, spoke Wednesday after the online screening of a new half-hour film that documents how the Town of Lake George, the Town of Hague, and Warren County have used new technology to reduce road salt use.

During the film, which featured interviews with local municipal officials and public works employees, Lake George Highway Superintendent Rob Lanfear Jr., described how using a brine solution instead of traditional road salt, has reduced the need for repeat applications while also preventing roadways from icing over.

“Some of our roads are different because we have such an elevation range — the higher elevations we may have to plow, but I’ve seen it with my own eyes…we may not have to send a crew out because we pre-treated the roads,” Lanfear says on film.

The FUND For Lake George hopes that the film will inspire other communities to act in a similar way.

FUND Executive Director Eric Siy says his organization is working “fist in glove” with the State Department of Transportation on its road salt reduction efforts, and he hopes the private sector will take notice too.

“This is an all-in, all-out effort. It’s not going to be simply reducing the use on our roads. It’s everything, as stated, from sidewalks…parking lots are a huge contributor,” said Siy.

Sexton, whose company WIT Advisors worked with the FUND’s Lake George Road Salt Reduction Initiative, said there haven’t been many new roadways put in around Lake George, even though salt levels have risen. He pointed to commercial development.

“For every lane-mile of road in a commercial setting, you could have 50 lines miles – or in some cases hundreds of lane miles – of parking lot. So it just stands to reason that that’s where a lot of this salt could be coming from,” said Sexton.

To view the film, The Road Map To Road Salt Reduction: Success Stories From Lake George visit: https://salt.fundforlakegeorge.org/

Why should grass juice become the new road salt (dividendwealth.co.uk)

This week, 120 million kilograms of salt were sprayed to keep the roads passable. But all this salt dries up trees and animals. That’s why at Broek op Langedijk, the world’s first grass juice manufacturer is working hard on another soluble factor: grass juice.

The idea of ​​using grass juice – actually, grass juice – against skidding comes from Hillebrand Breuker from Noord-Holland County. He’s been responsible for road maintenance and curbing there for years.

Salty taste

“After a suggestion from the Party for Animals, my department was asked to start mowing the“ bee-friendly. ”So not with the bulk mower, which removes everything, but in stages. And we no longer let the mowed grass at the side of the road rot away, But he took it with them. “

As an experiment, Breukers at some point decided to squeeze some roadside lawn. “I took a sip of juice that came out and thought, hey, this was a salty taste. I told my colleagues about this from the anti-icing conditions, and so the idea was born.”

Attention from all over Europe

The world’s first grass juice plant is now located in Broek op Langerdijk: Grass 2Grit. “Thanks to the help of Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands Water Board Nordercoartier, the contractors Van Gelder and Van Bodegum, and great European support,” says Brooker.

“We are seen from all over Europe, and Canada also cares. Because who does not want to use less salt? We know how harmful it is to nature.” Brooker, among other things, refers to trees along the road, which are scattered with road salt from passing cars. The bark, the tree’s protective layer, is eaten from it and dries up.

Harmful salt water

In addition, the brine (road salt mixed with ice) ends up in the soil, causing it to be absorbed by tree roots. This leads to the phenomenon of death. All soil life is poisoned by it. The soil contains thousands of worms, wood lice, fungi and bacteria that are essential for plant growth and prosperity.

Then there are the birds that eat the same salt water. They get dizzy from it. They also develop kidney problems, which lead to their death. It’s similar to eating six bags of potato chips or a few tablespoons of salt in a row. If we humans did it, we wouldn’t feel comfortable afterward. “The salt that we sprayed this winter disappeared from the surface water in the fall,” says Brooker.

Haffa grass from every province

Last year, Breuker did his best to get the plant up and running. “We have eliminated all the teething problems this year. We were able to produce 200 liters. Next year that would be 20,000 liters, and we will make a real contribution to fighting ice in the north of the Netherlands,” he says proudly.

It is not feasible to produce all of Holland in Broek op Langedijk. Each county has its own roadside lawn and can organize this on their own, Brooker continues. “It would be great if we could use a residual product like grass juice everywhere to replace harmful processes. We all benefit from that.”

How is grass juice made

Before the roadside lawn enters the printing press, it is cut into small pieces. A grass press divides the grass into fibers and sap. When the juice comes from a grass press, it can be compared to orange juice with pulp. They are removed at “careful preservation”. Then the sludge is removed in a centrifuge. Then the juice goes to what is called an ultrafiltration machine.

The juice that comes out of it is almost sterile and contains 3% salts. It relates to the minerals potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, and calcium. It also lowers freezing point, just like the “natural” salt, sodium chloride. Finally, the juice should be slightly salted to 8 percent. Hillbrand Brooker: “We can’t do it without salt. But that’s really a huge profit. Thanks to this grass juice, we can use 30 percent less road salt. And at 100 million kilograms, that really makes a difference.”

Edmonton to make changes to snow and ice strategy following critical auditor report - Edmonton | Globalnews.ca

Edmonton’s auditor identified 12 recommendations to bring the city’s snow and ice strategy back on track after an anonymous letter was mailed to city council outlining concerns with the operation.

The letter was received in February 2020. In response, council asked the auditor to review snow and ice removal.

Around five years ago, the city moved roads and transportation into the parks department, and the auditor found there had been more than a dozen leadership, policy and operational changes since then, leading to disorganization.

Edmonton’s administration said it accepts all of the recommendations and is working to implement them.

“I don’t love getting audits that show there’s a lot of issues, but I’m sure glad I can get those audits,” explained Ward 1 councillor, Andrew Knack. “Because if you don’t get those audits, you can’t fix your mistakes.”

The recommendations in the report include things like listening to employee feedback, having clearly defined policy, improving the ways in which resident complaints are managed and communicating more effectively with staff and Edmontonians.

“Understanding the need to be more in tune with what the public understands and how we communicate that understanding, in terms of what we will do, what we can do and what the resourcing and equipment allow us to do,” explained the manager of parks and roads, Brian Simpson. “It’s an important piece and we do need to get that right.”

He admitted there was often confusion from residents around snow removal, like when neighbourhood blading would be done, for example.

“A lot of work has been done in terms of just communicating with the public in terms of when we do certain areas,” Simpson said. “Even the difference between cul-de-sacs and residential. There was a lack of clarity around that and we recognize that.”

Eight of the auditor’s 12 recommendations are slated to be implemented by the end of this year, hopefully before the snow flies next winter. The remaining four are scheduled to be in place before the end of 2022.

Knack is optimistic the changes will improve the winter experience, both for employees and residents.

“The worst thing that can happen is nobody tells you what you’re doing wrong — and then you can’t fix it,” he said. “Here we’ve been told all of the things that are wrong – and some things are good, but most of it was challenges — and now we know and have a clear path to fix it.”

Why is road salt problematic and what is the alternative? | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)

• An alternative to road salts is needed during snowy or freezing weather.
• Road salt is not only expensive but can also damage roads and have a negative impact on nature.
• Scientists are working on creating synthetic versions of antifreeze proteins observed in fish, insects and even some plants.

Many people associate a fresh snowfall with pleasures like hot chocolate and winter sports. But for city dwellers, it can also mean caked-on salt that sticks to shoes, clothing hems and cars. That’s because as soon as the mercury dips below freezing and precipitation is in the forecast, local governments start spreading de-icing salts to keep roads from freezing over.

These salts are typically a less-refined form of table salt, or sodium chloride, but can also include other compounds, such as magnesium chloride and potassium chloride. They work by lowering the freezing point of water.

De-icing salts also do extensive damage to autos, infrastructure and the environment. And cities use them in enormous quantities – nearly 20 million tons per year in the U.S. Snowbelt cities in Canada, Europe and Japan also use de-icing salts heavily.

But new options are in the works. I am a materials scientist seeking solutions for our overly salted sidewalks by analyzing ways in which the natural world deals with ice. Fish, insects and even some plants have learned to adapt to cold climates over hundreds of thousands of years by making their own antifreeze agents to survive subfreezing temperatures. By taking a page from nature, my colleagues and I hope to develop effective but more benign antifreeze compounds.

Harmful impacts of salt

As many drivers know too well, road salt reduces cars’ lives by speeding up the rusting process. A 2010 study estimated that the use of de-icing salts costs U.S. drivers US$23.4 billion dollars nationwide yearly in vehicle damage due to corrosion.

Road salts also damage the surfaces we drive on. They contain chlorine ions – atoms with a negative charge – that alter the chemistry of water and make it more corrosive when it comes in contact with materials like concrete and steel.

As a result, road salts increase existing strains on aging structures. De-icing salts have contributed to bridge failures and cause cracking and other forms of weathering in highway surfaces.

De-icing salts have widespread effects in nature too. If you drive along a forested road after a long snowy winter, you may notice that trees next to the road look a little more brown than the others. That’s because road salts displace minerals in soil and groundwater, creating a condition known as physiological drought.

This means that trees cannot take up water through their roots even if it is freely available in the soil. When natural drought conditions already exist, in such places as Colorado, physiological drought can increase the risk of wildfires by making plants more prone to ignition.

Streams, rivers and lakes are especially vulnerable to water runoff that contains de-icing salts. Chlorine from the salt can inhibit fish from spawning and reduce dissolved oxygen levels in the water, which harms fish and other aquatic life. Salt-laden runoff can also promote the growth of dangerous cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae. Some forms of blue-green algae produce toxins that can sicken humans or animals that consume them in drinking water.

Natural antifreezes

An alternative de-icing option should be nontoxic and break down into benign components – but not too quickly, or its effects won’t last. To see why this is important, consider propyplene glycol, which is used to de-ice aircraft.

Propylene glycol is preferred for this purpose because it is less toxic than the ethylene glycol that keeps your car radiator from freezing up. But propylene glycol’s effects are short-lived, so aircraft typically can wait for only a limited period between de-icing and takeoff. This is also why propylene glycol is rarely sprayed on roadways and surfaces. Furthermore, although it is generally classified as safe for humans, it can still be deadly for aquatic life.

The Antarctic toothfish swims in the coldest waters on Earth, thanks to natural antifreeze proteins in its tissues.

What about natural alternatives? Scientists have found insects and spiders in Alaska that create antifreeze proteins in their bodies that lower the freezing point of water by a few degrees. And some fish, like the Antarctic toothfish (Dissostichus mawsoni), create antifreeze glycoproteins that prevent the blood in their veins from freezing in the coldest waters on Earth.

Most of these glycoproteins are delicate structures that break down quickly in the harsh outside world. But my colleagues and I are learning how to make our own antifreeze compounds through imitation. Our first challenge is to learn how the natural versions work so we can re-create them.

While there’s still much we don’t understand, we are using advanced computer modeling to see how antifreeze proteins interact with water molecules. Other scientists have discovered that fish antifreeze glycoproteins contain two main segments, and that certain sections are more essential than others.

Specifically, small compounds called hydroxyl groups, which consist of hydrogen and oxygen atoms, do most of the work. These small compounds lock into place with water molecules, like a key in a lock, to prevent ice from forming. They are also part of most critical sections of the proteins that bind to the surface of any developing ice crystals and prevent them from getting bigger.

Antifreeze proteins produced by (left to right) the ocean pout, winter flounder, yellow mealworm beetle, spruce budworm moth and snow flea.

Image: Protein Data Bank

Antifreeze proteins are natural polymers – enormous long molecules consisting of smaller repeating molecules, like links in a chain. Re-creating these compounds is no easy task, but we can create our own synthetic versions in a lab, starting with polyvinyl alcohol, or PVA. This is a simple, inexpensive compound that is nontoxic to humans and aquatic life and is a common ingredient in many everyday personal care products.

PVA contains the same hydroxyl groups as those found in fish antifreeze proteins. Using a bit of chemical engineering, we can change where those hydroxyls are located in the polymer structure, making it more like the compounds that fish produce. In the future, we may be able to change PVA from an everyday compound into an ice-fighting substance that can be used just about anywhere.

Because PVA doesn’t degrade too quickly, it has the potential to work on surfaces that need to stay ice-free, such as roads, sidewalks and handrails. Its long chemical structure makes it suitable for shaping and adapting into sprays or coatings. Someday cities may rely in winter on nontoxic spray-on antifreezes that won’t stain your clothes or corrode your car.

Fish antifreeze studied in quest for less-harmful road salts – Finance & Commerce (finance-commerce.com)

any people associate a fresh snowfall with pleasures like hot chocolate and winter sports. But for city dwellers, it can also mean caked-on salt that sticks to shoes, clothing hems and cars. That’s because as soon as the mercury dips below freezing and precipitation is in the forecast, local governments start spreading de-icing salts to keep roads from freezing over.

These salts are typically a less-refined form of table salt, or sodium chloride, but can also include other compounds, such as magnesium chloride and potassium chloride. They work by lowering the freezing point of water.

De-icing salts also do extensive damage to autos, infrastructure and the environment. And cities use them in enormous quantities – nearly 20 million tons per year in the U.S. Snowbelt cities in Canada, Europe and Japan also use de-icing salts heavily.

But new options are in the works. I am a materials scientist seeking solutions for our overly salted sidewalks by analyzing ways in which the natural world deals with ice. Fish, insects and even some plants have learned to adapt to cold climates over hundreds of thousands of years by making their own antifreeze agents to survive subfreezing temperatures. By taking a page from nature, my colleagues and I hope to develop effective but more benign antifreeze compounds.

Harmful impacts of salt

As many drivers know too well, road salt reduces cars’ lives by speeding up the rusting process. A 2010 study estimated that the use of de-icing salts costs U.S. drivers $23.4 billion dollars nationwide yearly in vehicle damage due to corrosion.

Road salts also damage the surfaces we drive on. They contain chlorine ions – atoms with a negative charge – that alter the chemistry of water and make it more corrosive when it comes in contact with materials like concrete and steel.

As a result, road salts increase existing strains on aging structures. De-icing salts have contributed to bridge failures and cause cracking and other forms of weathering in highway surfaces.

De-icing salts have widespread effects in nature too. If you drive along a forested road after a long snowy winter, you may notice that trees next to the road look a little more brown than the others. That’s because road salts displace minerals in soil and groundwater, creating a condition known as physiological drought.

This means that trees cannot take up water through their roots even if it is freely available in the soil. When natural drought conditions already exist, in such places as Colorado, physiological drought can increase the risk of wildfires by making plants more prone to ignition.

Streams, rivers and lakes are especially vulnerable to water runoff that contains de-icing salts. Chlorine from the salt can inhibit fish from spawning and reduce dissolved oxygen levels in the water, which harms fish and other aquatic life. Salt-laden runoff can also promote the growth of dangerous cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae. Some forms of blue-green algae produce toxins that can sicken humans or animals that consume them in drinking water.

Natural antifreezes

An alternative de-icing option should be nontoxic and break down into benign components – but not too quickly, or its effects won’t last. To see why this is important, consider propyplene glycol, which is used to de-ice aircraft.

Propylene glycol is preferred for this purpose because it is less toxic than the ethylene glycol that keeps your car radiator from freezing up. But propylene glycol’s effects are short-lived, so aircraft typically can wait for only a limited period between de-icing and takeoff. This is also why propylene glycol is rarely sprayed on roadways and surfaces. Furthermore, although it is generally classified as safe for humans, it can still be deadly for aquatic life.

What about natural alternatives? Scientists have found insects and spiders in Alaska that create antifreeze proteins in their bodies that lower the freezing point of water by a few degrees. And some fish, like the Antarctic toothfish (Dissostichus mawsoni), create antifreeze glycoproteins that prevent the blood in their veins from freezing in the coldest waters on Earth.

Most of these glycoproteins are delicate structures that break down quickly in the harsh outside world. But my colleagues and I are learning how to make our own antifreeze compounds through imitation. Our first challenge is to learn how the natural versions work so we can re-create them.

While there’s still much we don’t understand, we are using advanced computer modeling to see how antifreeze proteins interact with water molecules. Other scientists have discovered that fish antifreeze glycoproteins contain two main segments, and that certain sections are more essential than others.

Specifically, small compounds called hydroxyl groups, which consist of hydrogen and oxygen atoms, do most of the work. These small compounds lock into place with water molecules, like a key in a lock, to prevent ice from forming. They are also part of most critical sections of the proteins that bind to the surface of any developing ice crystals and prevent them from getting bigger.

Antifreeze proteins are natural polymers – enormous long molecules consisting of smaller repeating molecules, like links in a chain. Re-creating these compounds is no easy task, but we can create our own synthetic versions in a lab, starting with polyvinyl alcohol, or PVA. This is a simple, inexpensive compound that is nontoxic to humans and aquatic life and is a common ingredient in many everyday personal care products.

PVA contains the same hydroxyl groups as those found in fish antifreeze proteins. Using a bit of chemical engineering, we can change where those hydroxyls are located in the polymer structure, making it more like the compounds that fish produce. In the future, we may be able to change PVA from an everyday compound into an ice-fighting substance that can be used just about anywhere.

Because PVA doesn’t degrade too quickly, it has the potential to work on surfaces that need to stay ice-free, such as roads, sidewalks and handrails. Its long chemical structure makes it suitable for shaping and adapting into sprays or coatings. Someday cities may rely in winter on nontoxic spray-on antifreezes that won’t stain your clothes or corrode your car.

With support from Ontario’s Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) the Smart About Salt Council (SASC) announced today that it has developed and implemented the first of its kind program verification protocol.

Linked to SASC’s award-winning training and certification programs for winter maintenance contractors, facility owners/operators, municipal roads professionals and others, the verification protocol is a timely and first of its kind much coaching and feedback tool that will help SASC encourage the use of best management practices (BMP’s) in winter maintenance.

“Safety is paramount” said SASC volunteer President Eric Hodgins. Multiple studies confirm that there is a growing problem of chlorides in the environment that is having a negative impact on wildlife, drinking water and infrastructure. The challenge arises from the poor understanding of salt, typically sodium chloride (NaCl) (the very same product that is on your French fries), that is used in winter maintenance.

“We’re learning that there are better ways to promote safety while reducing the costs associated with winter maintenance”, shared Hodgins. “Little things can often have a big difference. For example, using salt in a brine solution has been shown to improve safety but also be a cost-effective winter maintenance practice that should be considered as part of any winter maintenance strategy” he added.

A partnership effort by industry and government in 2009 led to the creation of the Smart About Salt Council, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to protecting freshwater resources from the over application of salt. The Smart About Salt Council is unique, working transnationally to offer win-win education, certification and now verification that seeks to engage winter maintenance professionals and the public to adopt leading practices in winter maintenance.

“We help those facility owner and operators work with their contractors and others so that facilities and the public are protected. It’s about collaboration and awareness so that everyone concerned benefits, including our water resources” noted Hodgins.

For more information about the Smart About Salt Council (SASC) and its award-winning training programs please visit www.smartaboutsalt.com.

Ariganello: Halt the (road) salt assault, Ottawa | Ottawa Citizen

It’s the time of year when we either take out the shovels or take out the road salt.

De-icing your steps and driveway using traditional road salt comes at a steep environmental and financial price. Environmentally it increases the salinity (salt content) of soils, damages plants, contaminates ground and surface water, and leads to the death of aquatic life. Financially, because salt is corrosive, it damages fabric, metal (cars, trucks, bicycles) and our roads. This can total more than $5 billion a year.

What is the issue exactly? When road salt dissolves in water, it forms sodium and chloride ions; it is the chloride ions that are most problematic for roadside plants, for aquatic ecosystems and particularly amphibians, fish and invertebrates. Chloride ions are quite persistent in water, so the chloride concentration in streams can remain high long after its initial introduction.

Recent results from a study by the Ottawa Riverkeeper revealed that chloride levels in Pinecrest, Graham and Moore creeks exceeded the Canadian Council of Minister for the Environment (CCME) chronic toxicity threshold in all samples assessed, and exceeded the acute (short-term) toxicity threshold on several occasions. From January through March (as a direct result of the application of road salt), all three creeks contained chloride concentrations at a level that was unsafe for many aquatic organisms. As well, other studies have shown that increasing the saltiness (salinity) of natural water ways can make it easier for invasive and toxic species to thrive and spread.

Canadians use up to seven million tonnes of salt each year to help clear icy roads. Salt corrosion is pricey and dangerous for cars as it can damage brakes and increases vehicle depreciation, with an estimated cost of $800 a year (updated for inflation). Although corrosion-resistant coatings have improved, they are hardly “green.”

Salt also corrodes the rebar in many concrete structures such as bridges and buildings, leading to their accelerated destruction. It is estimated that total damage done by road salt on infrastructure is as high as $687 per tonne of salt – a high price to pay when alternatives exist.

Two alternatives that are easier on your wallet, your pets and the environment were tested last year by Ottawa residents as part of the “Halt the Salt Challenge” organized by the Ottawa South Eco Action Network. Residents found that traction aids Ecotraction (a volcanic mineral) and Eco Ice Grip (wood chips impregnated with magnesium chloride) were both helpful in preventing slips and falls, with the added bonus that they are made in Canada.

This year, before reaching for the salt, consider what you want to achieve. Do you need to completely melt the ice and snow on your driveway? Or do you just need to make sure there is a safe path to walk for you, your neighbours and your kids (four-legged or two)? If you want to minimize your financial and environmental impact answer these three questions:

• Am I choosing the right product? (Road salt will melt ice, while traction aids such as Eco Ice grip will prevent you from slipping.)

• Am I using the right amount? (2 tbsp of road salt will melt one square metre of space.)

• Am I applying it at the right time? (Road salt only melts ice above -15 C; if it’s colder than that, or going to get colder, you are throwing your money away. During early winter and spring, check the weather: if it’s going to warm up significantly over the next day, you may not need to use anything)

If you find, like other residents, that the alternatives are effective, consider approaching your condo board, apartment landlord and even the city, to reassess what type of product they use, or how much and when they use it. We have all seen the piles of road salt that can be left behind, wasting our tax dollars, damaging our roads and our cars. We can do better – and there is much benefit to be had.

Marianne Ariganello is a resident of Ottawa South, a mother of two, a scientist and a climate advocate. She is a member of the environmental group Ottawa South Eco Action Network, which works to build a more sustainable Ottawa. Twitter: OSEAN_Ottawa

Accident at Louisiana salt mine leads Cargill to accelerate a closing plan - StarTribune.com

Cargill said it accelerate closing plans for a salt mine on Avery Island, La., where two miners died after a roof collapse last month.

The Minnetonka-based agribusiness said Thursday the accident didn't lead to its shuttering, but it did expedite the company's plans to stop extracting salt from the mine later this year.

"While the tragic events from December are still on our minds, the driving factor here is the timing," a Cargill spokesman said.

Salt production has been suspended for the past six weeks while federal investigators work to determine the cause of the fatal accident. Cargill said it had planned to stop hoisting salt from the mine when its lease ends at the close of 2021.

"With six weeks now behind us, considering the time to get back to full production, low demand for road salt due to a soft winter so far, and the time remaining in our lease, we need to focus our time and energy on safely closing the facility," Cargill said.

Federal inspectors found several safety violations following the collapse, including ground conditions, improper barricades or escape route signage, according to Mine Safety and Health Administration records.

The final report has not been released.

Shuttering a mine is a long, complex process. This one isn't expected to be complete until 2024.

"We will continue to maintain the integrity of the mine while we work to flood the mine with water and restore the surface to allow Avery Island Inc. to repurpose the land in the future," the company said. "We began drilling the flood shaft back in 2019, before the tragic accident occurred. This process is standard for the closure of a mine."

Cargill's other two salt mines, in Lansing, N.Y., and Cleveland, will remain open. All three of its underground mines produce salt used to de-ice roads and surfaces in the United States and Canada. The company also produces salt in surface ponds through the evaporation process, including at its Breaux Bridge, La., facility, all of which will remain open.

"This was a difficult business decision, but ultimately the right one as we considered the future economics of the mine's operation and our production capacity until the end of the year," Sonya Roberts, president of Cargill's salt business, said in a statement. "We are confident we will be able to fulfill our customer obligations and do not expect disruptions to their operations."

The mine currently employs about 200 workers, according to federal mining records.

Avery Island was the first rock salt mine in the U.S. It's also home to Tabasco sauce, which Edmund McIlhenny created in the 1860s by mixing a spicy red pepper with the island's plentiful salt.

Cargill has leased the enormous salt mine for more than two decades from an affiliate of McIlhenny Co., which still operates its Tabasco factory on the island.

City of Richmond snow response plan ready for winter weather | Philippine Canadian Inquirer

The City of Richmond is prepared to respond to any snowfall and icy conditions that may arise during the remaining winter months.

The City of Richmond’s centralized control centre of experienced staff manage continuous response to snow, ice or severe weather – this includes following updates to weather reports, monitoring road surface conditions around the city through six road temperature sensors and dispatching equipment and crews in advance of and during weather events.

The City of Richmond’s snow response plan includes the use of 41 specialized pieces of equipment and vehicles. The City’s Works Yard is stocked with 1,000 tonnes of salt onsite, with additional 2,200 tonnes on reserve. A secondary location outside of the Operations Works Yard will also be stocked with salt to reduce travel times and increase efficiencies for snow removal equipment working on the east side of Richmond.

Snow plow routes
When it snows, the City’s priority is to ensure all major arterial roads are pre-treated and cleared so emergency vehicles including police, ambulance and fire trucks, public transit and private vehicles can travel through Richmond’s priority routes.

First and second priority routes are pre-established and are the first to be cleared. Third priority routes consist of designated collector roads and roads of local significance. Third priority routes are salted and cleared only when first and second priority routes have been addressed. To view existing snow removal priority routes, visit https://www.richmond.ca/services/rdws/weather/route-map.htm.

If a significant multi-day snowfall event happens, City Public Works staff switch to 24/7 coverage where crews work 12 hour shifts clearing snow, laying down anti-icing liquid brine and/or salting roads to keep frost or ice from forming. This strategy is kept in place until priority roads are clear and conditions change.

For more information on the City’s snow response, visit www.richmond.ca/winter. Updates during snow and ice events will be posted on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Richmond_BC and Facebook at www.facebook.com/cityofrichmondbc. Please follow Environment Canada and other reliable sources for updates on weather.

Stay safe in winter weather
The City of Richmond encourages residents to get a head start on preparing for upcoming winter weather conditions – especially with the current ongoing pandemic. Remember, plan ahead for bad weather and if in doubt, don’t go out.

The residents guide to winter weather includes safety and preparedness tips and is available on the City’s website at: www.richmond.ca/services/rdws/weather/guide.

COVID-19 safety measures are also in place for all City staff, including snow response crews working indoors and outdoors. All City of Richmond staff must wear a mask:

• While at work in City buildings, facilities and designated work areas when physical distancing cannot be maintained
• When entering and exiting City buildings and facilities
• When in a City vehicle with more than one person.

Shovel your sidewalk – it’s your responsibility 
Traffic Bylaw 5870 requires residential (single-family and multi-family) owners, commercial and industrial and occupants to clear snow and ice from sidewalks adjacent to their properties no later than 10 a.m. every day.

A few other reminders:

• Shovel snow onto lawns or into designated parking stalls, not the street. Shovelling snow onto the street is a hazard for vehicles and creates more work for snow plows, which then slows down the clearing process.
• Ensure accessible parking stalls on your property are clear of snow and ice.
• Keep storm drains and grates around home and business properties clear of snow and debris to prevent blocking them, which causes pooling as temperatures warm.

Heavy snowfall can create challenges for many residents. If you can, be a good neighbour and lend a hand to others in need of snow removal assistance (while keeping your distance).