Douglas Pollock President at Village of Riverside | Official website
Douglas Pollock President at Village of Riverside | Official website
During winter, icy conditions often lead to the widespread use of rock salt. While rock salt can improve safety by melting ice, it poses risks to landscaped plants and waterways. Sodium in rock salt harms plants directly and indirectly affects soil quality negatively. Additionally, salts can damage concrete, particularly if the concrete was poured within the past year.
Rock salt is composed of sodium chloride, similar to table salt. It is inexpensive and widely available. When applied to ice, it draws water molecules from the ice surface and breaks down into sodium and chloride ions, forming a brine that continues to draw water from the ice. If this salty water comes into contact with nearby plants, it can damage them by extracting water from their tissues. As water evaporates from the brine, it leaves behind salt residues. Rock salt becomes ineffective at temperatures below 15 degrees Fahrenheit.
To learn more about winter best practices from our LAC seasonal updates, please click on the link below:
To Salt or not to Salt | Riverside, IL
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