#SWEM How to reduce salt use on roads – eco-friendly alternatives for a sustainable winter

As part of the Sustainable Weather Emergency Management (SWEM) project, within the Interreg NEXT Romania-Ukraine 2021-2027 programme, we continue to talk about eco-friendly approaches to winter maintenance in cities. One of the key topics is reducing salt use on roads, as salt causes the most damage to soil, green spaces, water resources and urban infrastructure.

Excessive use of salt leads to soil salinisation, the death of trees and shrubs, reduces the quality of groundwater and accelerates the corrosion of roads, bridges and public transport. In order to preserve the environment and at the same time ensure safe travel, communities are increasingly turning to environmentally friendly and more efficient alternatives. One such solution is sand-gravel mixtures, which do not corrode plants and infrastructure and provide good road grip. Combined with reduced salt levels, they can reduce harmful effects several times over.

Another approach is preventive road treatment. Instead of spreading large amounts of salt after ice has already formed, the community prepares the road surface in advance using liquid de-icing materials, which require much smaller doses and work more effectively. Modern technology also allows for precise dosing of reagents, which helps to avoid chaotic and excessive distribution of salt over the surface. Sustainable winter maintenance practices are not just about the environment. They are about long-term savings, healthy green spaces, clean water bodies and comfortable travel in the city.

This publication has been produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of the Executive Committee of the Ivano-Frankivsk City Council and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the European Union or the management structures of the Interreg VI-A NEXT 2021-2027 Romania-Ukraine Program.

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