DE-ICING SALT

Salt, i.e. Sodium chloride is the most widely used de-icing agent in Europe and throughout the world due to its huge advantages over the alternatives. It is not only widely naturally occurring and easy to store and apply, hence the least expensive, but it also has the least environmental impact when used properly. In fact,according to the IfAÖ(German Institute for Applied Ecology), alternative de-icing formats are six to eight times more expensive than salt.

When salt is applied to ice and snow it creates a brine that has a lower freezing temperature than the surrounding ice or snow. It is also most efficient as a de-icer when spread before ice has formed. Whilst in theory salt can work to lower temperatures, it is usually used at temperatures down to -15°C.