You can Beet Our Roads

Since the snows are not yet over, I thought that a follow-up article on the use of road salt on US 20 would be appropriate.

The severe snow falls this year in the eastern half of the US created a shortage in road salt and alternatives were sought. One of the alternatives to a salt solution is a mixture of brine (salt water) and sugar beet juice.

“In Indiana, K-Tech Specialty Coatings has been distributing “Beet Heet,” a sugar beet molasses-based product that increases rock salt’s ice melting capacity when the two are mixed. The mixture helps rock salt melt ice below its 15-degree limit, according to Beet Heet distributors, and helps municipalities melt larger amounts of ice and clean up snow more quickly.”

“This year about 175 municipal agencies, mostly in the Midwest, are using the product. Butler County in Pennsylvania has been experimenting with the solution as part of a department or transportation research project into de-icing option, a PennDot official told TIME.” http://time.com/5761/salt-shortage-triggers-beet-juice-cheese-brine-alternatives/

The sugar beet juice is a natural byproduct of beet processing. The sugar beet juice reportedly reduces the amount of salt necessary in solution to be effective. The beet-brine also reportedly coats and seals the pavement, reducing the number of applications necessary to maintain the roads. This mixture reduces salt costs, is less destructive to the asphalt and is less corrosive to vehicles.

Eastern Idaho is known for raising sugar beets. The use of beet juice to maintain Idaho highway safety in winter is a natural fit and there is no more appropriate location than Island Park.  This reduction in salt use will create less salt runoff, reducing the possibility of increasing salinity of our rivers. It will be less harmful to plant life and hopefully, less of an attractant for wildlife.

Any action that makes economic sense, has less of an impact on the environment and utilizes local waste products is a win for all involved. The best public policy is one where there is no loser.

This may be one of those opportunities.