Road Salt
Sodium Chloride (NaCl)
Uses
- additive to prevent freezing of sand piles
- Melt ice on roads
- prevents collisions
- prevents injuries
- prevents highway fatalities
Properties
- Soluble in water
- forms clear or white crystals
- odorless
Other Facts
- New Hampshire was the first state to adopt a policy to use salt on the roads.
- Using salt on roads was brought into practice in the 1940's
- The use of salt skyrocketed going from about one million tons in the early 1950's to over ten million tons in the late 80's.