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https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/27432/critical-issues-in-transportation-for-2024-and-beyond

THE EFFECTS OF REDUCED USE OF SALT IN DE-ICING OF ROADS TO THE CONTENTS OF CHLORIDE IN GROUNDWATER

The desire to prevent hazardous substances from contaminating the groundwater has led to measures to protect it in southeastern Finland. Changes in the winter maintenance policy became necessary after a 1990 observation that road salting caused high chloride concentrations in many aquifers. The changes have included reduction in salt use since 1991 through more effective mechanical maintenance, the use of wet salting, and the newly developed road weather service. Salt has been used in de-icing Finnish roads since the 1950s. In the 1970s, the amount of salt used was relatively low (about 3-7 tons per road kilometre), but by the late 1980s the amount significantly increased (to over 10 tons per road kilometre). The increase was due to the new winter maintenance policy, which included a provision for the elimination of packed snow from the roadway. There are 17 groundwater intakes in the groundwater protecting program of southeastern Finland. The groundwater intake chloride concentration has decreased in correlation with a decrease in the use of salt for road deicing.

  • Corporate Authors:

    PTRC Education and Research Services Limited

    Glenthorne House, Hammersmith Grove
    London W6OL9,   England 
  • Authors:
    • Vallius, P
  • Conference:
  • Publication Date: 1998

Language

  • English

Media Info

  • Features: Figures; Tables;
  • Pagination: p. 131-136
  • Serial:
    • Volume: 3

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00751526
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Report/Paper Numbers: Technical Report, Volume 1, Volume 2
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Jun 24 1998 12:00AM