Useful article: Best kind of driveway salt for the environment

[greenman3610]

http://blog.mlive.com/watershedwatch/2009/01/picking_the_right_deicing_prod.html

"You don't think that much about stormwater in the winter," said Joseph L. Rivet, county drain commissioner and a consultant to BASWA. But actions people take individually to reduce their salt use can add up to a substantial improvement in water quality.

Salt leaches into soil, making it hard for plants to survive, and can contaminate groundwater.

Mike Young, with the DEQ Environmental Science and Services Division in Bay City, says potassium chloride is another good choice, since plants can take up the potassium as a nutrient.

Pet owners also should check out a product called Safe Paw, which won't harm animals like salt products can.

[madrchsod]

1. beet juice is being used with road salt to de-ice roads

potassium chloride is expensive to de-ice roads