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Beet Juice vs Road salt - Canada Salt Group Ltd
Oct

22

Beet Juice vs Road Salt

Winter brings us joy and challenges like icy roads and sidewalks. Deicing them is important for maintaining a safer environment. People have been using road salt for decades as a deicing solution. However, there is a recent trend of beet juice being used as an alternative to road salt. In this article, we will explore the pros and cons of using beet juice vs road salt and other factors like cost, reliability, effectiveness, and environmental considerations. So, Let’s get started!

What is Road Salt?

Road salt, also known as Sodium chloride, is a common deicing agent used to melt ice and snow. In 1940, it became a popular choice for managing winter road conditions due to its ease of availability and affordable cost.

How Road Salt Works for Deicing?

When spread over the surface, road salt lowers the freezing point and prevents ice formation. When sprinkled on the road, road salt forms a brine, which has a lower freezing point than water. It is an effective solution for managing ice and snow but has some environmental considerations as it washes away into the surroundings.

What is Beet Juice?

Beet juice is an environmentally friendly deicing alternative to road salt. It is obtained as a byproduct of the sugar beet industry. Beet juice can be used alone or combined with road salt to improve efficiency. The use of beet juice began to reduce salt usage and the negative effects of excessive salt.

How Beet Juice Enhances the Effectiveness of Salt

Beet juice cannot directly melt ice. It should be mixed with road salt. The beet juice makes the brine solution catch hold of the road and improves the salt efficiency during lower temperatures. By doing so, the salt usage can be reduced without compromising on the deicing performance.

Environmental Impact of Road Salt

The excessive use of road salt has several environmental considerations:

  • Soil Contamination: The excessive sodium content in the road salt can damage the soil structure and harm plant life.
  • Water Pollution: Melted salt can enter nearby water streams, such as lakes and rivers, and increase the salinity, which can damage aquatic life.
  • Damage to Infrastructure: Salt can increase the corrosion of infrastructure such as bridges, roads, buildings, and vehicles, which can lead to costly repairs.

Environmental Impact of Beet Juice

Beet juice is more environmentally friendly when compared to road salt.

  • Less Harmful to Vegetation: When beet juice is combined with road salt, salt usage can be decreased, resulting in less damage to the plants on the roadside.
  • Reduced Aquatic Pollution: Beet juice is more environmentally friendly for waterways because it’s natural. However, there are some concerns that it might raise the water’s biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), which can impact aquatic life.

Effectiveness in Cold Weather

Road salt doesn’t work well when temperatures fall below 15°F. Beet juice can help by lowering the freezing point even more, allowing salt to work in colder conditions. This makes beet juice a good option for very cold weather, though it might not completely replace traditional deicers.

Cost Comparison

The price of road salt is less than that of beet juice. However, beet juice reduces salt usage, and environmental considerations are also less. The long-term economic impact can favour beet juice.

Safety Considerations

  • For Drivers and Pedestrians: Using salt and beet juice effectively improves road safety. But beet juice is effective in making the salt adhere to the road.
  • Corrosive Effects: Road salt is corrosive to roads and other infrastructure compared to beet juice usage.

Availability and Distribution

Road salt is a popular choice for most people. It is easily available and affordable. Beet juice is not always available at the dealers. So, coordinate with specific dealers if you need to.

Case Studies: Cities Using Beet Juice

Cities like Denver, Colorado, and Toronto, Canada, have tried using beet juice for winter road maintenance. The results showed that it helped them use less salt, cut down on maintenance costs, and reduce environmental damage. This has encouraged other cities to consider making the change, too.

Public Opinion on Beet Juice vs. Road Salt

People are happy with beet juice because of its eco-friendly nature. Some issues that people are reporting are sticky residue and a smell on the roads.

Future of Deicing: Could Beet Juice Replace Road Salt?

Beet juice may not completely eliminate road salt use, but it can help reduce it. Beet juice formulas can be improved by implementing new ideas and innovations so that they are widely used by everyone.

Conclusion

Using beet juice and road salt have their own pros and cons when it comes to deicing. Beet juice offers a more environmentally friendly and potentially cost-effective solution, especially in colder climates, but it is not without its drawbacks. Municipalities should consider combining both to optimize road safety and minimize environmental impact. If you are an individual or an organization looking for bulk road salt, we can help! At Canada Salt Group Ltd, we have fine-quality salt and salt products catering to various industries. Contact us for more details.

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