Ice melters and fish fuss
Nothing like a nice gulp of salt water.
February 8, 2008
By Brian Lewis-Jones
I recently read a story in the Lawrence Journal-World about Lawrence's road salt shortage. Sure, less salt means snow-packed side streets, but the shortage isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
I called the street maintenance division of Lawrence Public Works and learned that Lawrence uses rock salt as a deicer (sodium chloride, or NaCl, as you may recall from your chemistry class). When the snow melts, this sodium chloride gets washed down the drain.
Now, I’m not an environmental researcher. I’m not a plumbing expert. I’m not a doctor, and I didn’t even stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. But I’m pretty sure that the drains in Lawrence flow to one of two places: the sewage treatment center or the Kansas River. I have a hunch that street drains gush to the latter destination.
Rock salt is the most common ice melter because of its availability and low cost. However, Missouri’s conservation Web site says that rock salt is a harmful chemical for plants and soil:
"The sodium and chloride components of common salt can each interfere with nutrient intake and growth. Sodium also accumulates in the soil and causes it to become tight and unworkable, impeding root development. Chloride can become a pollutant of the water supply if large quantities of common salt are used or stored without protection.”
And let’s not forget about our poor fishy friends who have to breathe this stuff.
Road salt might be the least of the Kansas River’s wastewater damage issues, but it’s another pollutant to add to the list. Other rock salt alternatives might be more expensive, but they claim to be environmentally friendly. Sure, nobody likes to drive on a slick road, but maybe we should just put on our galoshes and deal with it.
Discussion
All comments are moderated by Kansan.com staff. For our full user policy, click here.
Long live the fishies!
I get the feeling like any fish left in the Kaw are seriously deformed.
man i could totally be you if you wanted to be me.... ok, i'll log out now :) and not be you.
Share your 2¢
(Requires free registration.)