Winter driving in many parts of Ontario has become a whole lot sweeter. An increasing number of municipalities are spraying a combination of beet juice and salt brine to keep roadways from icing. The sticky mixture helps salt adhere to the pavement better, works at lower temperatures — down to -13ยบ F — and is less corrosive to vehicles and the environment. Using the combination reduces salt scatter from 30% to about 5%. The ratio is 20% beet juice and 80% salt brine, which is more effective than salt alone. Once the mixture bonds to the pavement, it can prevent ice and snow build-up for up to 10 days. It can be used as a pre-treatment before storms, or as a deicer after storms. It does cost a little more to use beet juice, often ranging from $1.70 to $1.85 per gallon. While more expensive upfront, it’s actually more cost effective because it allows for using less total material. This alternative deicer has been around for a number of years, although it hasn’t yet been as widely accepted as other commercial alternatives.
