Human activities are making the globe saltier, specifically in our soils, fresh water, and air, according to a study released Tuesday, October 31, 2023, in the journal Nature Reviews Earth & Environment. Only about three percent of Earth’s water is fresh, and salt is increasingly spoiling that small inventory. Proactive environmental policies are needed to address these human-induced changes. Increased salt concentrations could become “an existential threat” to our freshwater supplies, the study’s authors said. But the big source in the United States may come as a surprise: road salt, which communities use for de-icing in the winter. From 2013 to 2017, road salt made up 44 percent of the country’s entire salt consumption. In this session, attendees will learn about: The importance of more precise tracking of salt spreading and how it starts with calibrating your machines before the winter season. (How to do this – handout will be distributed.) The importance of tracking material usage beyond salt, such as beet juice, brine, and pre-wet. Leveraging salt savings to create incentives (n-union shops) for more conservative salting practices. Leveraging salt savings for better base pay (union shops).
At the conclusion of this session participants will be better able to:
• Test and calibrate spreader controllers before the winter season.
• Develop incentives (n-union shops) for more conservative salting practices.
• Revise pay rates (union shops) based on salt savings actuals for better retainment of high-quality plow operators.

Contributor/Source

Wilfrid Nixon

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