Did You Know?
It only takes one teaspoon of salt to pollute five gallons of water to a level that is toxic to freshwater organisms, according to Wisconsin Salt Wise.
To practice safe salting use this winter, follow these tips:
- Clear walkways before snow turns to ice. The more snow that is removed, the less salt will be needed to melt ice and the more effective it will be.
- If you’re using salt to melt ice, scatter it so that there is space between the grains. A coffee mug of salt is enough to treat an entire 20-foot driveway or 10 sidewalk squares.
- Salt doesn’t work in extremely cold temperatures. Use sand when temperatures drop below 15 degrees.
- Use resources like Wisconsin Salt Wise, a statewide coalition that provides training and promotes practices that reduce salt pollution, to continue minimizing your road salt use.
Learn more or tune into a free webinar during Wisconsin Salt Awareness Week: January 23–27, 2023.