Remove the Ice – But to the Environment, be Nice!

Excess salt and other deicing chemicals can harm aquatic life in our streams and impact drinking water supplies. You can help by following these environmentally friendly snow removal practices:

• Shovel snow before it turns to ice to limit the need for deicing chemicals like rock salt.

• Shovel snow onto permeable surfaces including gently sloping and level landscape and grassy areas so as the snow melts it can soak into the ground rather than flow directly into a nearby storm drain or stream.

If you must use deicing chemicals, follow these suggestions…

• Control application of chemical deicers and avoid over application.

• Limit chemical applications near environmentally sensitive areas including springs, streams, ponds, wetlands, and water supply areas and sensitive landscape and vegetation.

• Use salt substitutes that are less harmful including Calcium Chloride (CaCl2) and Calcium Magnesium Acetate (CMA).

• After snowmelt, sweep up residues, including sand, to prevent it from washing into storm drains and streams.

Why should I limit my use of salt and other chemical deicing products?

Deicing products contain chemical constituents that can be harmful to the environment including water resources and drinking water supplies. For example, sodium can break down soil structure and decrease soil permeability, which adversely impacts vegetation and soil microbes; chloride mobilizes heavy metals and impacts fresh water supplies including ground and surface waters; and heavy metal components can adversely impact water quality, plant and aquatic life.

This information provided on behalf of your local MS4 Stormwater Program. For additional information on improving stormwater quality visit the Stormwater page on your municipality’s web site.