Environmentally-Friendly Snow and Ice Control
While many see effectiveness, efficiency, and environmental responsibility as contradictory terms, snow and ice control professionals should think differently.
By Eric Hartmann
Tovar Snow Professionals, Inc.
Vice President of Sales and Marketing
In the current economic conditions it is good business for snow and ice control professionals to operate not only effectively, but also in an environmentally-responsible manner. While many see effectiveness, efficiency, and environmental responsibility as contradictory terms, snow and ice control professionals should think differently. By utilizing a combination of modern tools, materials, and work methods customized to meet specific needs, all three attributes can be made compatible within their operations.
The most visible attribute and the one easiest to focus on is effectiveness. Simply put, at storm’s end, customers expect to see what they paid for. However, for the snow and ice control professionals, being effective does not mean dumping salt and plowing without planning. During snow and ice control operations, planned work methods and material use (or lack of) have a direct environmental impact. The true professional accomplishes goals with a planned, customized, and organized approach designed specifically for the weather conditions and customer’s needs. This approach, starting with high quality weather reports, utilizes a variety of tools and work methods in a planned approach resulting in minimal impact to the environment while delivering the required customer service. Only through planned and orderly use of equipment, materials, and work methods, are customer needs met while minimizing environmental impact.
The use of modern weather information and remote monitoring of conditions assists the professional in delivering high quality service with an eye on the environment. Site-specific and sophisticated weather forecasts, combined with updated weather data, permits development of snow and ice control plans specific to customer needs. Updating current conditions data regularly also allows plan modification essential to meeting changing conditions.
These professionals utilize a newer, proactive approach known as “antiicing.” This strategy (when appropriate) is the use of deicing solutions prior to the onset of a storm. The presence of the chemical on the surface delays and/or prevents the formation of ice on that surface - enhancing plowing efforts. If compact snow or ice does occur (as can happen during heavy snow events), the proactive application weakens the bond between the accumulation of ice and snow and the surface, facilitating its removal. Planned anti-icing practices utilized by experienced snow and ice control professionals result in a high level of customer satisfaction, and a significant positive impact to the environment. One environmental benefit associated with anti-icing is the very tight control of the deicer material during application. Controlled applications, in terms of patterns and rates, result in use only where needed and in correct amounts. This is significant when the goal is to deliver customer service and to minimize environmental impact. Anti-Icing, combined with well-planned followup actions and/or materials, provides,a very effective way of controlling snow and ice events, while simultaneously delivering customer service and respect for the environment.
Another example of state-of-the-art techniques is the wetting of rock salt with a liquid deicer during its use. This, too, benefits the environment by helping the rock salt quickly form a brine solution and minimize loss due to bounce and scattering. The melting performance of the liquid added to the solid salt is offset by reducing the amount of the solid material applied, thus not over-applying material. Utilizing planned deicer applications and integrated work strategies reward the customer and the environment. By regularly using sophisticated weather data, the snow and ice control professional will adjust application rates based on conditions and needs. It is not an approach where if a little bit is good, a lot is better.
Snow and ice control professionals should use state-of-the-art equipment and materials. An example of this is the use of custom-blended deicer products developed with performance and the environment in mind. This material is applied with sophisticated equipment containing sensors and meters providing the professional the ability to exactly achieve needed application rates and patterns. Again, both customer and environment benefit.
Today’s snow and ice control professionals are more than plow drivers. They receive training on weather, deicers, and equipment - learning how to use each individually and as a total package. These practices and techniques require time, effort, and commitment. They will continue to give rise to even more and better methods of snow and ice control, leading to greater benefits for customers and the environment.