salt on roads

[SHARKY]

I wonder what the impact of all the salting of roads at present will have on wild life ,all the salt water draining into rivers must have an effect,!.

[juicylucy]

UUmmm our roads havent been gritted as our council is running out/ran out of grit and salt
good point though...havent really thought about the impact on the environment..would it just wash away and if it rained be watered down?

[SHARKY]

I think it must impact streams and ditches, and eventually rivers,i know that years ago i had a stubborn Pampas grass in my garden ,planted by a previous occupier, it was against the house ,i couldnt burn it i put a shovel full of rock salt in the middle of it, [just happened to have a sack in garage ]....that killed it .

[juicylucy]

Thanks sharky ive been trying to get rid of my mutant pampas for years..ive burnt it...stamped on it and tried just about everything except rocksalt

[kate egg]

It said in the paper today that the salt clears to roads better as it dissolves the snow whereas the grit just lays on top and makes a reasonable driving surface. Then it went on to say that the impact of the salt on wildlife etc was not good, it gets into rivers and streams and underground water-courses - another example of man mucking up nature?

[SHARKY]

I dont think grit is used much, i think when they say ''gritters are out'' i think they are using rock salt, now they are also using low grade table salt too[added to rock salt so it spreads ].it cant be good for plants or animals,.................OR classic cars,![they are probably all tucked up safely in garages ].

[kate egg]

Hubs had our 1963 Cortina out to go to Quorn in Leicestershire today, but only because the roads were dry. Certainly not to be used normally in this weather - in fact he has just taken son's g/f home, about 30 mile round trip, and has gone in our 4WD pick-up, that copes with just about anything.

Our local paper said that they do use grit a lot more than salt. Apparantly salt deteriorates in storage, they lose about 10% a year so cannot afford to keep replacing it, and so grit is a cheaper option.

[SHARKY]

oh, i know salt would be lost in storeage, but thought that salt was more generally used .

[seahorse]

Good job the slugs are still hibernating, I'm sure they would hate all that salt!!! Cant be much good for frogs either