Salt for road de-icing was first used in the 1930's but took over another 30 years until the 1960's to gain widespread use after highway departments learned of its
effectiveness.
Today there are over 15 million tons of salt used for highway de-icing in the United States alone. Other
de-icers such as Calcium Chloride and Magnesium Chloride like Salt (Sodium Chloride) also leave chloride ion residues the majority of which are naked to the Human Eye that can cause significant corrosion to snowplows and ice removal equipment such as spreaders.
Deicing chemicals are often combined with other substances to prevent caking or inhibit corrosion. These substances may be toxic to human, animal, and fish life. Sodium
ferrocyanide, for instance, is often used to prevent caking, but, unfortunately, releases cyanide ions that are extremely toxic to fish. Rust inhibitors, on the other hand, may contain phosphorus compounds that, in turn, stimulate the growth of undesirable aquatic plants, weeds and algae in fresh-water lakes.
Even when not in use and during the off-season snowplows and spreading equipment are exposed to chloride, rain water and snow may deposit about 40 pounds of chloride per acre annually. Areas near oceans or salt water bodies experience even a much higher degree of corrosion since there is chloride present almost everywhere even in the air.
Various studies have shown the true actual cost of salts at between $800 and $3,000 per ton.
Proper maintenance and washing of equipment with Salt-Gone™ salt and chloride remover washes away chlorides and helps to prevent corrosion. For just pennies per gallon Salt-Gone™ is an economical and easy way to save thousands of dollars per year.
|
