In 2013 U.S. officials applied about 17 million tons of salt to roads. Salt lowers the freezing temperature of water and thus melts street-clogging snow and ice. But its public safety benefits do come with some ecological drawbacks. Salt not only damages metal and concrete, it contaminates drinking water, kills vegetation, and accumulates in streams,
Countries around the world experience extended periods of snow and ice. In order to combat the icy road conditions crews spread road salt on sidewalks and roadways. Salt was first used in the United States on an experimental basis in New Hampshire in 1938. By the winter of 1941-1942, 5,000 tons of salt was spread