County Urges Residents To Use Less Road Salt During Winter Storms

BETHESDA, MD — In a push for more sustainable snow removal options, Montgomery County leaders are urging residents to use less salt on sidewalks and driveways during winter storms.

The call for action is part of the county's newest eco-friendly initiative called the Salt-Wise campaign. The campaign's goal: use enough salt to keep roadways safe without causing more environmental harm. It's all a balancing act.

"We all want every public and private sidewalk to be passable and safe following winter storms," said County Executive Marc Elrich. "However, when applying salt on sidewalks and driveways, we hope that homeowners and property managers will realize that overuse of salt does not help their efforts and only puts our environment at greater long-term risk of damage."

Road salt is an effective deicer. And people have been using salt to de-ice their streets for decades.

The downside? It's a hazard to both ecosystems and human health. That's according to environmental advocacy and academic groups, like The Earth Institute at Columbia University.

Millions of tons of salt have been used in the United States, The Earth Institute says. And when salt accumulates, it can seep into wells and other groundwater sources that supply people with clean water.

"Salt is something of a ticking time bomb for freshwater," Earth Institute adjunct professor Paul Gallay said in a December 2018 blog post. "Studies suggest that the increasing concentrations we see in many places may be the result of road salt spread decades ago, which reached groundwater, and is only now slowly reaching surface waters."

In short: when salt seeps into water sources, it doesn't go away.

But the impacts road salt have on the environment don't stop there. County officials say the salt can also harm pets and corrode concrete and masonry.

That's why officials say the county will benefit from the Salt-Wise campaign.

The campaign will include a website with resources for residents, homeowners' associations, and private contractors, according to officials. A Salt-Wise tip card, which will be available to download, will also contain information on the impacts of salt use.

"The Salt-Wise campaign will be used to educate our residents, share tips on best practices and encourage local organizations to do their part," said Adam Ortiz, director of the county's Department of Environmental Protection. "We need everyone to be Salt-Wise and follow these simple tips to apply salt sensibly and effectively to protect our streams and creeks."

The tips that residents can follow include:

• Shovel ice and snow early and often.
• Use one 12-ounce cup of salt for 10 sidewalk squares or for a 20-foot driveway.
• After storm events, sweep up excess sand and salt for reuse.

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