Reducing and managing salt use

Salt Management Plan for Peel

We use our Salt Management Plan to guide how we use salt while ensuring safe driving conditions for travellers. We use these tools for salt management:

• Weather monitoring and forecasting with Road Weather Information Systems (RWIS)
  RWIS is used to give advanced forecasting when weather events are heading into Peel so that the best winter road maintenance application is used.
• Snow Storage and Melt Water Treatment Facilit
  If there are consecutive large snow events in a winter season, snow may need to be removed from the road boulevard to a separate snow storage facility. This dirty snow can be handled in an environmentally responsible way by ensuring it melts slowly and is treated before being released into the environment. A long-term snow storage facility is currently being investigated.
• Improved salt storage and handling
  We use best practices for salt storage and handling ensuring that we have enough product on hand and that it is protected from rain and snow.
• Route planning
  Route planning saves time, money, and the environment through efficient use of anti-icing applications.

How salt impacts the environment

Salt is used on roads, sidewalks, parking lots, and driveways to help make winter driving and walking conditions safer. Unfortunately, salt doesn’t disappear when the snow and ice melts. Salt mixes with water from rain and melting snow and makes its way to our rivers and lakes. Over time this harms our environment, wildlife, and quality of our drinking water.

Here are some tips to help manage salt use, stay safe, and protect the environment:

• Reduce the risk of slipping and falling by dressing for the weather and wearing boots with good treads. Consider adding ice grippers to shoes and boots for extra grip.
• Install winter tires to give you better traction when driving in winter.
• Reduce your driving speed to give you more time to react to winter road conditions.
• Keep distance and give right-of-way to winter maintenance vehicles.
• Drivers need to give cyclists extra space in snowy weather conditions.
• Plan and give yourself more time to get to your destinations.

Clearing snow and ice at your home

Use less salt

• Avoid ice build-up and reduce salt use by clearing snow from driveways and walkways as soon as possible.
• Don’t pile your snow where it could melt across paved areas and re-freeze to create a slipping hazard.
• Keep water from turning into ice by cleaning and repairing eaves troughs and clearing storm drains.
• Make sure downspouts are directed away from driveways and walkways.

If you hire someone to clear your driveway, look for contractors that are Smart About Salt. They’re trained to improve winter salting practices.

If applying salt, consider these tips:

• Before snow falls or temperatures drop to freezing, apply a small amount of salt across your driveway to help prevent ice and snow from sticking.
• After a snowfall, salt should only be used once the snow is removed and only in areas needed for safety.
• Salt only melts ice and snow at temperatures above -10C. When it’s too cold for salt to work, alternatives such as sand, grit, non-clumping kitty litter or magnesium chloride can be used. Although these products don’t melt ice, they can be used for traction to avoid slips and falls.