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Over the past couple of weeks, most of us have probably been thinking more about ice and snow than we are used to. The pretty landscape of ice-covered snow is great, but even the walk from the front door to the car can be quite an adventure. For many, shoveling isn’t enough, and we turn to deicing materials to help regain our footing on treacherous terrain.
While deicing products can be useful, they are also dangerous to aquatic life (not to mention some landscaping plants). The most common deicing product is simple salt, which while cheap and readily accessible, is also the most destructive product to use on areas we wish to traverse. Salt application also leads to long-term environmental impacts as well as infrastructure and automobile corrosion problems. Rock salt also often contains cyanide as an anti-caking agent that can be toxic to underwater life.
Another choice is Calcium magnesium acetate, which is one of the safer options for safely melting ice due to its low environmental impact. It is less toxic than deicers containing chloride, but can cost considerably more than rock salt. There are other products to consider, each with its own upside and downside.
For a useful comparative tool and good information on the rate of application, check out this tool. Best practices include minimizing the snow and ice present to begin with (or better yet, apply deicer before the snow starts); only use the minimum amount necessary to access vital areas; and sweep up any excess piles that arise for later use. Your plants, your car, and the critters in the nearest freshwater stream will all thank you.
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