A new state mandated report says Connecticut should continue to use sodium chloride as the primary deicing agent during winter months, downplaying concerns about the chemical’s corrosive effects on motor vehicles, state bridges and highways, and the environment.
The “Winter Highway Maintenance Operations: Connecticut” study was conducted by the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering on behalf of the state Department of Transportation. The study was conducted in response to a 2014 law passed by the state legislature that required DOT to look into the corrosive effects of road treatments, particularly chloride-based deicing chemicals, which have become increasingly popular in many states.
The study concluded that chloride-based deicing chemicals should be the standard for the foreseeable future and the state DOT should continue to use it as its primary deicing chemical. Sodium chloride is the most economical inorganic chemical and is an effective deicer under most conditions above 20 degrees, which is the typical weather in Connecticut during winter months, the report said.
The report also said organic materials like potassium acetate, sodium formate and propylene glycol, can potentially be used in very specialized circumstances, but the cost and environmental impact could be problematic.
