Long Island recently experienced a record-breaking snowfall that dropped up to 30 inches of snow in some areas, breaking a previous 50-year snowfall record. While intense blizzard conditions led to school closures, a vigorous snow removal effort cleared roads and minimized travel disruptions.
However, some supplies used to clear roads during the storm can create problems once the storm ends. Road salt is crucial in preventing icy conditions on roads and keeping drivers safe. Prior to the blizzard, the Town of Brookhaven was prepared to use approximately 10,000 tons of salt. As the snow melts, salt and other pollutants wash off roads and parking lots and flow into nearby waterways, such as the Long Island Sound. This runoff can degrade water quality, harm aquatic life and even affect drinking water sources. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has stated, “Road salt can infiltrate nearby surface and ground waters and can contaminate drinking water reservoirs and wells. High sodium levels in drinking water affect people with high blood pressure, and high chloride levels in surface waters are toxic to some fish, bugs, and amphibians.”
To reduce these impacts, scientists have been exploring sustainable ways to manage snow while minimizing damage to the environment in the process. One solution is permeable pavements, which allows runoff water to seep through and reach the underlying soil, removing water that would otherwise continue to sit and form ice. Another solution is salt brine, a mixture of rock salt and water. It is composed of about 23% salt, meaning it requires less total salt to treat the same area compared to traditional rock salt. Using salt brine can therefore reduce the amount of chloride that eventually runs off into nearby waterways.
These solutions are unlikely to completely eliminate the need for road salt and the resulting pollution. Nevertheless, implementing them more widely could significantly reduce the environmental damage caused by our response to winter storms.
