1. The Latest in Smart Snow and Ice Control
Connie Fortin – Fortin Consulting Inc
www.fortinconsulting.com

2. This talk is based on excerpts from the
Minnesota voluntary certification program
www.pca.state.mn.us/programs/roadsalt.html

3. The Situation
SALT USE for
WINTER
SAFE TRAVEL
Permanently
Polluted
Water

4. How does salt affect our waters and what can
we do about it?

5. Salt becomes invisible but it doesn’t disappear.
It mixes with water and stays in solution.

6. The U.S. Government has
standards for pollutants
• Chronic standard for
Chlorides:
230 mg/l
= 1 teaspoon salt in 5 gallons
water

9. National: Exceedances of EPA
Water Quality Criteria for Cl
# of Sites 12 6 21 6 29 15 7 7 11 12 17 14 5 19 22 6 3 162 50
6739/5266 1383/995

10. Comparison of lake chloride concentrations in 39 Minnesota lakes and rock salt
purchases by the state of Minnesota (Novotny et al. 2007).

11. 1 ton of rock salt
($50) causes
greater than
$1,450 in
corrosion damage
to bridges,
vehicles, and
environment
(TRB Report)
Ali Akbar Sohanghpurwala- Road Salt
Symposium 2008 (photo and fact)

12. Working with the maintenance
industry is the key to safe
surfaces and clean water

13. Store on impermeable pad
and covered
Storage areas are #1 risk for ground
water contamination. If your pile
contaminates the ground water you
will be held responsible

14. Be safe:
Secondary containment
or double wall tanks
Storage: Liquids

15. Plan for year round storage
Do not use salt just to get rid of
it at the end of the winter.

16. How salt works

17. Speed of Melting
Pavement One Pound of Melt Times
Temperature º F Salt (NaCl) Melts
30 46.3 lbs of ice 5 min.
25 14.4 lbs of ice 10 min.
20 8.6 lbs of ice 20 min.
15 6.3 lbs of ice 1 hour
10 4.9 lbs of ice Dry salt is
5 4.1 lbs of ice ineffective and
will blow away
0 3.7 lbs of ice
before it melts
-6 3.2 lbs of ice anything

18. Know the Lowest practical melting
temperature for each material
Chemical Lowest Practical Eutectic Temp. Optimal
Melting Temp. Concentration
Sodium Chloride
15º F -6º F 23%
Magnesium
Chloride
-10º F -28º F 27 to 30%
CaCl2 (Calcium
-20º F -60º F 30%
Chloride)
CMA (Calcium
Magnesium
20º F -18º F 32%
Acetate)
KAc (Potassium
Acetate)
-15º F -76º F 50%
Blends Talk to supplier Talk to supplier Talk to supplier
Winter Never melts -- Never melts --
Sand/Abrasives traction only traction only

19. Use application rate tables!
www.pca.state.mn.us/programs/roadsalt.html
Our rates are low, they are a good target, not a starting point

20. Yearly Calibration
Pg 10
Calibration
should be the
backbone of
your snow and
ice program!

21. Calibration separates the top
performing organization from the
average organizations

22. If you are applying materials with only your eyes to judge.
Look for better ways!

23. Almost twice the rate doesn’t “look” that different
500 300

24. Many types of equipment can be calibrated:

25. Projected Results
Average potential reduction in salt application rates:
62% for parking lot/sidewalk
36% for roads

26. Integrating Liquids
• Good for public safety
• Improved performance
• Cost effective
• Better for the environment
• IT IS IN YOUR FUTURE

27. The purpose of deicers is to
prevent the bond from forming
between the pavement and the
ice, not to melt the ice.
We only
need to
melt this
little layer
Ice
Pavement

28. Without the bond the plow, shovel
or snow blower will do a great job
Ice
Pavement

29. It will take 10 times more work
and/or 4 times more chemical to
break a bond than to prevent a bond
Ice
Pavement

30. Anti-icing – Applying liquids
before the storm
EnviroTech
LCS

31. 4 Hours Later

32. • The snow will
accumulate
but the
surface
underneath is
wet
• The bond is
weak

33. The time to get your
site back after the
storm will be reduced
if you anti-ice
You will not have
trouble with frost if
you have anti-iced

34. Anti-icing is like frying eggs

35. Mixing liquids with dry salt
Wet salt increases the speed of melting!
Salt can start working NOW, no delay.

36. Salt Retrieved from 78%
24ft. pavement Unretreived
salt
P
r 46%
e
- D 30%
w r
y 9% 12%
12% 9% e
t 4%
Michigan Highway Department
Outside 1/3 Center 1/3 Outside 1/3

37. With wet salt you can use 30% less….
just turn down your application rate.

38. Two good options for adding liquids:
On the truck or on the Stockpile
Pre-wet Pre-treat

39. Potential Cost Savings
Hypothetical Example:
Material Cost/ton Amt. Total cost
needed
Dry salt $70 10 tons $700
Wet salt $90 6.6 tons $594

40. 1 year after
Training:
Saved
Rock salt: 617 tons (68%)
$55,000 the
first year
MgCl2: 80 tons (65%)
Mississippi
River
Reduced:
Road salt 41%
Mag chloride 51%
Photo taken by Bobak Ha’Eri
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/ Sand 99%

41. Actual Results
• As for the state budget…The salt savings at the
U of MN alone in one year ($55,000) more than
paid for one year of training across the state.

42. Minnesota’s Next Steps

43. Twin Cities Metro Area Chloride
Management Plan
•Minnesota is developing a Twin Cities metro area chloride management plan.
Emphasizing working partnerships between industry and environment
•Will result in better understanding of our lakes and rivers
•Based on water quality information salt reduction targets will be given based
on geographic areas (2014). They will be formulated to protect good water
and to restore polluted water
•Tools are being developed to help organizations assess their operations and
move towards lower impact practices
•No practices will be mandated. Maintenance operations will have flexibility in
making changes appropriate to their organizations to achieve salt reduction
targets.
For more information contact: Brooke Asleson MPCA Project Manager: 651-757-2205
brooke.asleson@state.mn.us www.pca.state.mn.us/oxpg9f1

44. Housekeeping Section:
Chart your current and near future practices
Internal internal calculation
Now Near Practices Code
Future
1 Move from 1 to 2 =
Bulk salt pile uncovered 1% reduction
2
Bulk salt pile tarped Move from 1 to 3
= 5% reduction
3 Move from 2 to
Bulk salt pile indoors 3 = 5%
reduction
standard best practice Remedial practice
Advanced best practice

45. What type of training is available in your area?
Can you provide useful tools to help maintenance
professionals make better decisions?

46. The future is in our hands