Road salt does more harm than good

In the U.S., 20 million tons of salt are used for highway deicing annually

Chloride does not break down in water, so once it enters waterways and groundwater it becomes a “permanent pollutant, ” putting freshwater ecosystems at risk

Chloride concentrations related to road salt increased in 84% of U.S. streams tested

Freshwater ecosystems are becoming salinated, leading to decreased biodiversity of aquatic animals and plants

In Minnesota’s Twin Cities metro area, 27% of wells monitored in the area’s shallow aquifers had chloride levels that exceeded the EPA drinking water guidelines

Using best management practices, such as proper storage, anti-icing, pre-wetting and storm-speci¦c applications may help reduce road salt usage

Read the full analysis by Dr. Mercola 

 

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