Alternatives to road salt: You have these environmentally friendly options

In winter, road salt is often used to de-ice roads and sidewalks. But there are also alternatives that you can use. We have summarized the best alternatives to road salt for you in our article.

That is why road salt is harmful

Road salt is particularly harmful to the environment, it can get into the groundwater and cause considerable damage.

• If the salts penetrate the soil and thus the groundwater, the concentration of chloride increases and the limit value for drinking water is exceeded.
• Trees and shrubs are also contaminated with road salt. The salt gets into the tissue of the plant and disrupts the metabolism there. In the following spring and summer months, the consequences can be seen in the form of tissue drying out.
• Cars also suffer from the effects of road salt. The paint on the car can be rubbed off by the salt, making the vehicle rust easily. The underbody sheet is also attacked by road salt. Salt can be eaten here.

Alternatives to road salt

Alternatives to road salt are also not entirely harmless and should therefore also be used in moderation.

• Often no spreading material is needed. It is usually enough to shovel snow properly.
• If grit is still needed, chippings or gravel are an alternative. It is particularly important here that these substances do not contain any toxic substances such as arsenic, lead or mercury.
• Spreading sand or sawdust are also suitable as spreading agents. Here, however, as with grit and gravel, the material must be swept back together.

Road salt is prohibited in many places due to the environmental hazard

In a further article, we go into more detail on the question of whether road salt is prohibited and how dangerous it can be.