Road salt under scrutiny in Maine
The use of road salt to keep roads clear during winter storms has increased dramatically in the past 50 years. Plenty of us are old enough to remember when road crews spread sand or cinders to keep plowed roads passable. And if they used salt at all, it was mostly on hills. If you had to get around in those days, you put snow tires or chains on your car.
I can remember being towed behind a neighbor's car on a tobaggan. The roads were all snow-covered for days after a storm, and it didn't seem like such a big deal, at least not to a kid. Of course, it was dangerous and stupid, but it was a heck of a lot of fun.
The increased use of road salt has often come under fire from environmentalists who worried about damage to roadside trees, and about all that salt running into nearby waterways. And now scientists in Maine have begun to look more closely at the issue. They say they don't advocate banning it. They just want to know more about how it's affecting the environment. Here's the story.
Comments
At least those residents in Maine are re-considering the use of road salting to de-ice roads. The environment is first and foremost as that is which our children and their children will inherit.
Salting roads is shortsighted and an environmentally unsound method. I remember the days here in Arizona when the highways were road blocked and law enforcement was there to ensure that EVERYONE had chains to pass. If not they were advised to turn around and get them. But now, Arizona as gone down the road salting road. So now, people can speed in their trucks and SUV's, endangering themselves and everyone else on the highway. Salt does not work here in the High Country of Arizona when temps often drop below 20 deg.
But more importantly, it is the drastic impact that road salts will have on our limited water supply.
Steve Schoner/ SAR (Salting Arizona Roads)
http://www.geocities.com/salting_arizona_roads
Posted by: Steve Schoner | March 9, 2007 11:43 AM
I've one downside though. The images doesn’t come up. - even the homepage has the pictures missing.
FR: Not surprising. The road salt post is almost six years old (March 2005). Links often stop working after extended periods of time.
Posted by: addicting games | December 21, 2010 1:45 PM