Gritting salt and the environment

Gritting salt is currently the most sustainable method for keeping our roads free from ice. The gritting salt which ends up in the verges might erode the plants but new application techniques ensure that this is becoming less of an issue.

Gritting trucks can now apply grit more accurately and there is an increasing use of brine. Brine is liquid salt that sticks to the road surface more effectively and means less salt ends up in the verge.

Plenty of research is being conducted into alternatives to gritting salt. Grass juice is sometimes suggested as an environmentally-friendly alternative to gritting salt. However, it turns out that the CO2-emissions generated during the production of grass juice are many times higher than the CO2-emissions from the production of salt.