Rock salt saves lives by helping tires grip icy roads. It avoids broken bones when homeowners use it on slick sidewalks, driveways and parking lots. And in Kansas, one of the country’s top salt producers, rock salt generates paychecks. But it also costs Americans billions in corroding cars and bridges. It adds so much sodium to drinking water in some places that it can affect people’s health. And in some places, toxic salt levels kill or harm plants, animals and crops. Experts say we can take immediate steps to curb this toll without sacrificing road safety. The Kansas Department of Transportation has already taken some of those measures, including spraying brine before winter storms, a practice that can fight slippery roads with less salt. And at Wichita State University and Iowa State University, scientists are pursuing research that could change how we clear our pavement in the cold months.
Source: KCUR News
