The Quest to Turn Food Waste into Road Salt
From cheese brine to beet juice, these locally-sourced, environmentally-friendly de-icers are turning waste into safe driving.
Outside of the ocean, few plants or animals thrive when saturated with salt. Which means the mountains of rock salt spread over roads and sidewalks each winter amounts to an environmental catastrophe — roadside vegetation withers and salt-laden runoff kills fish and aquatic organisms in nearby waterbodies.
In recent years, scientists have developed alternative de-icers, many of them agricultural byproducts, so that we don’t have to choose between driving safely and polluting the environment.
Beet Juice
A byproduct of the beet sugar and molasses industries, this is one of the most common food-based de-icer. It is used in conjunction with rock salt, cutting down significantly on the amount of salt required and making it more effective at lower temperatures. If you ever emerge from your front door on a winter morning to the smell of molasses, now you know why.
Cheese Brine
Common in dairy-producing regions like Wisconsin, this waste product already contains salt, but organic compounds in the brine significantly enhance the salt’s ice-melting ability so overall much less salt is needed to keep roads clear. Added benefit: roadways emanate the pungent aroma of a cheese boutique afterwards.
Distiller’s Mash
Whiskey, wine, beer, bourbon and other alcoholic beverages are increasingly important to the ice management industry. That’s because producing them results in an organic waste product — distiller’s “mash,” for example, and spent brewer’s grains — which possess chemical properties that makes ice melt at lower temperatures. That’s something we can all raise a glass to.
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We want to hear from you if you love Modern Farmer content, have a collaboration idea, or anything else to share. As a nonprofit outlet, we work in service of our community and are always open to comments, feedback, and ideas. Contact us at [email protected].The Quest to Turn Food Waste into Road Salt
by Brian Barth, Modern Farmer
February 18, 2019
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Greens are about 40% of what we throw into landfill. Can be composted very easily. Joracanada.ca
Salt melts ice but the process is a slow, temporary and costly solution.Really valuable thoughts.
Are these Better to use on wood, such as decks? If so, where can you get them?
This headline is a bit misleading. These materials are used to enhance the properties of salt, not to replace them:
https://stormwater.pca.state.mn.us/index.php?title=How_salt_works_and_overview_of_deicing_chemicals
Hi! I’m opening a small distillery, and was very interested in seeing the bit about distiller’s mash at the end of this story. Wondering if you’d be willing to tell us a little more about that sometime? Thanks!
Loved this info.It was very useful for me.Keep up the good work!