To make winter roads passable, highway personnel usually must either apply chemical de-icers to melt ice and snow or spread sand to provide traction. Since chemicals and sand are costly and may have negative environmental impacts, you need to know how they work. This publication gives you basic information and practical tips on using de- icing chemicals and sand. Another commonly used chemical, calcium chloride, comes from natural brines. It comes dry in pellets or flakes, or in solutions of various concentrations.
Research continues on alternative de-icing chemicals.
Additives to reduce chemicals' corrosive properties are also being used. Currently these alternative materials are more expensive, but can be useful in special situations. De-icing chemicals work by lowering the freezing point of water. These low freezing points are what makes salt and calcium chloride useful. Before a dry de-icing chemical can act it must dissolve into a brine solution.