Salt is used for winter street deicing and becomes a component of roadway removed snow and the resulting meltwater. Dissolved in the meltwater, the salt ions chloride and sodium, can flow into surrounding surface waters and infiltrate into ground water. Decreased mixing of the lake can result in degraded lake conditions. Salt contamination of soil and groundwater can result in vegetation stress and decreased productivity. Sodium ions can displace essential plant nutrients in the soil.
Soils can erode more readily due to a lack of healthy vegetation.
A variety of salt additives, such as sodium ferrocyanide and chromates, are use as anticaking agents and corrosion inhibitors. Some of the other environmental impacts of snow disposal include those related to nutrients and metals. Nutrient inputs to surface waters can stimulate excessive aquatic plant and algae growth causing impairment of recreational potential. Excessive nutrient concentrations in groundwater used for wildlife and livestock watering can be unhealthy. Toxic metals can accumulate in soils making them unsuitable for crop production.