Melt Better

Environmentally safe, animal-friendly ice melt.

By Eesa Lynn

If you live in a cooler climate, ice removal becomes a necessity during the winter months. Keeping our pets, local wildlife, and the environment around us safe is imperative. However, depending on what type of application you choose, you may be doing harm by performing this necessary winter maintenance. 

There are many potential dangers of chemical deicers. Pets can experience dry and irritated paw pads as well as paw burns from walking on treated surfaces. Dehydration as well as GI upset, including nausea, drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, or even toxicity, can occur from licking their paws after walking on treated surfaces. This also holds true for wildlife that walk on road surfaces that have been treated or consume vegetation from around those roads. Chemical run-off from treated road surfaces can negatively impact plants and also pollute waterways, disturbing the delicate balance of these freshwater ecosystems. 

Most commonly used ice melt products are made of compounds called chloride salts, which work by lowering the freezing point of water. Sodium chloride, or rock salt, is the most widely used due to both its affordability and effectiveness, especially at low temperatures. However, it can be very damaging to concrete, metal, and wood infrastructure. Other chloride salt compounds that are widely used are calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, and potassium chloride. Chloride salts are the most toxic to pets and the environment. Small amounts ingested are not usually fatal, but ingestion of larger quantities can cause mouth ulcers, severe dehydration, and possibly even death. These types of products will also dry and kill vegetation.

Non-chloride compounds such as calcium magnesium acetate (CMA) and potassium acetate are considered biodegradable and therefore can be less toxic; however, they may not be as effective at lower temperatures. CMA is often considered the best de-icing option for use around pets; however, it is also the most expensive. Urea, also called carbamide, is a nitrogen-containing ingredient used in fertilizers, but conversely, when used in large amounts for winter de-icing applications, it can be very damaging to plants.

Finally, the lowest toxicity products are derived from agricultural byproducts from the sugar refining industry, such as molasses and beet juice. These products are becoming more popular and are also being used in conjunction with chloride products by municipalities for road deicing because of their natural ability to depress the freezing point of water. 

For many, winter won’t stop its icy onslaught any time soon, but at least there are environmentally safe options for making it a little less slippery. Unfortunately, while we may avoid the harm of a slip and fall and our pets and landscapes are better for it, the wallet may be a little sore. 

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Exploring the world through an environmental viewpoint.