If so, please use the feedback form to submit your question. In the U.S., over 15 million tons of salt is applied to road surfaces annually. These chemicals are often combined with other substances that prevent caking or inhibit corrosion. Rust inhibitors often contain phosphorus compounds.
Sodium can alter surface water pH, making it more acidic.
High chloride concentrations may harm fish and other aquatic life. Chloride may migrate through soils and accumulate in underground water supplies. Highly soluble cyanide, used to prevent caking, travels through soils and accumulates underground. On the surface, ultraviolet light breaks down chemical bonds releasing free cyanide that is extremely toxic to fish. Phosphorus, found in rust inhibitors, stimulates growth of undesirable aquatic plants and algae in fresh-water lakes.