Better Ice Control methods are envoling every year as we must meet the demands of cost, affordable and our environment. Brine has increasingly been used as an alternative to rock salt for deicing roads, especially in the last decade. Many transportation departments have adopted brine solutions, such as a 23% salt brine, to pre-treat roads before winter storms, which has resulted in up to a 75% reduction in the total salt applied. Brine solutions are effective because they help prevent ice from bonding to road surfaces, making it easier to plow snow and reducing the need for additional salt applications later on.
The use of brine is particularly popular in regions like the U.S. Midwest and Northeast, where winter weather is harsh and the environmental impacts of traditional rock salt are becoming more evident. For instance, by pre-wetting roads with brine, the salt adheres better to the road surface, which minimizes the amount that is scattered into the environment. This practice has been shown to reduce salt infiltration into aquifers by about 5% (Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies).
Additionally, there has been growing interest in agro-based alternatives like cheese and pickle brine, corn steepwater, and fermentation byproducts (such as from beer and wine waste). These alternatives help to lower the freezing point of chloride-based salts, improve sunlight absorption, and reduce the corrosivity of the salt solutions, while also being more environmentally friendly than traditional rock salt (Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies).
While the data on exact statistics for brine use specifically is limited, these newer practices and alternatives are gaining traction as more municipalities and regions seek to balance road safety with environmental concerns(Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies).
Rock salt has long been the go-to solution for deicing roads during winter. While it’s highly effective at improving road safety, it also poses significant environmental risks. Every year, millions of tons of salt are spread on roads, and a large portion of it washes into nearby lakes, rivers, and marshes, endangering aquatic life and contaminating drinking water sources. In some areas, the accumulation of road salt has been building up since the 1930s, and today, the U.S. applies around 15 million tons annually.
It doesn’t take much salt to cause environmental damage. A 2017 study found that if just 1% of the land within 500 meters of a lake is paved, there is an increased risk of the lake becoming saltier over time. Given that about a quarter of U.S. lakes are near developed land, this is a concerning statistic.
The U.S. Geological Survey reported in 2014 that 84% of northern U.S. streams contain toxic levels of chloride (from sodium chloride, or road salt), peaking in winter when salt is heavily applied to roads. "Like most chemicals, too much salt is toxic," write William Schlesinger and Stuart Findlay of the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies. "Humans are inadvertently increasing the salinity of freshwater resources through routine road-salt application. If salt continues to accumulate at its current rate, many surface and well waters will become unhealthy for humans and wildlife by the end of this century."
Despite these dangers, rock salt remains popular because it's cheap and effective at lowering the freezing point of snow and ice. It works by attracting ice and snow molecules, breaking their bonds, and melting them to create a salty brine that spreads across the road and repeats the process. However, the environmental consequences have led to the exploration of alternative deicing methods that are less harmful.
Alternative Deicing Solutions
Beet Wastewater
The wastewater left over from processing sugar beets contains natural sugars that lower the freezing point of ice, making it a viable deicing solution. Using beet wastewater could significantly reduce the amount of salt entering waterways. However, there are downsides, such as the strong smell it can produce, which some have compared to soy sauce or stale coffee. Additionally, while beet wastewater is less corrosive to vehicles and infrastructure than rock salt, there are concerns that its sugar content could promote bacterial growth in water sources.
Cheese Brine
Cheese brine, a byproduct from dairy production, is another alternative being used in places like Polk County, Wisconsin. Local highway trucks spray cheese brine, mixed with additives, onto roads to prevent snow and ice from sticking. "The dairy gives us that for free, and we use 30,000 to 65,000 gallons a year," says Moe Norby, technical support director for Polk County's highway department. This method is particularly cost-effective in regions like Polk County, where cheese is a major local product, minimizing transportation costs. As Bret Hodne, public works director for West Des Moines, Iowa, points out, "The major cost is transportation—getting the deicing material to you."
Pickle Brine
Among the more unconventional alternatives is pickle brine, which was used extensively in Bergen County, New Jersey, during the winter of 2014. Pickle brine works similarly to rock salt, melting ice at temperatures as low as -6°F (-21°C). While it has a strong odor, pickle brine is cheaper, less harmful to the environment, and readily available as waste from homes and factories. New Jersey turned to pickle brine in 2014 when a 40,000-ton shipment of rock salt was delayed due to a violation of the 1920 Maritime Act, which mandates that goods transported between U.S. ports must be on American-flagged ships. This unexpected shortage prompted the state to use pickle brine creatively, proving it to be a cost-effective and sustainable option.
Other Unconventional Methods
Other regions have found creative ways to use local waste products as deicing agents. Alaska, for example, has utilized leftover barley residue from vodka distilleries, while Russia, Hungary, and Tennessee have used waste from their distilleries. These alternatives not only cut costs but also help reduce waste and protect wildlife, water sources, and human health from the harmful effects of traditional road salt.
Conclusion
As we continue to look for ways to make our roads safer during winter without harming the environment, alternatives like beet wastewater, cheese brine, and pickle juice are gaining attention. While each has its own challenges, they present promising options for communities looking to balance road safety with environmental sustainability.
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