DeIcing products - Safe alternatives to Rock Salt

This week's record snowfall and cold temps present an interesting problem if you, like me, did not get all of the snow completely cleared from your sidewalks. My husband purchased a bag of an ice melt product, but before he sprinkled it on the walks, I wanted to be sure it was safe and non-toxic for both the environment and my dog. Typical ice melt products are harmful to our pets both from ingestion, and to their paws. There are a lot of products on the market, so what should we be looking for when choosing a product?

Keep in mind that salt is extremely corrosive and destroys everything it comes into contact with including roadways, sidewalks, landscaping, and waterways. The end result may be causing more problems than it is preventing. Since our house doesn't have a mudroom, boots and shoes come directly into my kitchen, and onto our wood floors and area rugs.

One product on the market, Geomelt is used by Janesville's City Public Works department. It contains less chlorides and corrosive compounds, and reduces salt use up to 30 percent. "The liquid is an organic based product, derived from processing beets, and then mixed with a salt brine." -City Operations Director, John Whitcomb. "Salt is the most cost effective deicer, but other products can melt at lower temperatures. These products are more expensive, but have to be used in certain situations, for example, around public facilities when a less corrosive product is required."

The City has three salt sheds, and in a typical winter season, uses 3000-4000 tons of salt. Sand is used when temperatures are extremely cold when salt will not be effective, or if salt supplies are limited and need to be stretched.

For personal use, you can try using Scotwood Industries Eco-friendly Clean Melt or Keep it Green KIG8 Snow & Ice Melter . These products also contain less corrosive elements and won't be as harmful on your driveway, walkways, and the surrounding environment.

"Safe Paw" Ice Melter (www.safepaw.com) is a product advertized as 100% safe for pets, children and the environment. "Safe Paw's patented dual-effect compound, made up of a modified crystalline amide core infused with special glycol admixture, provides a non-corrosive composition with a two-way timed-release action. The liquid component starts melting ice instantly while breaking its surface tension. This allows the crystal-core to quickly penetrate and destabilize the ice which speeds up melting. Safe Paw also attracts solar heat to provide extra melting-power during daylight hours."

While deicing roadways is necessary to maintain safe travel conditions, the effects of road deicing on the environment are well recorded. Check to be sure the product that you are using at home is safe for surrounding plants and animals. The best solution, however, is to clear snow from driveways and sidewalks before it becomes compacted.