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When the weather turns to frost and snow, Much thought is given to ways to stop people and pets from slipping and sliding as they walk along. A common method that many people use is spreading rock salt to add traction and help the ice to melt away. However, what seems at first to be an effective solution for melting snow, can actually end up causing more problems than it solves – especially when it comes to our canine friends and their feet.

Dogs’ paws are delicate underneath and can easily become irritated, injured or sore when they are exposed to something harmful underfoot. Rock salt contains sodium chloride, which can irritate the pads on canine paws and cause digestion and stomach issued if ingested, e.g. if the dog licks his paws to get rid of the salt. Dogs can also walk the slat indoors, causing damage to carpets and flooring, as well a spreading the risk of other pets swallowing it and becoming unwell as a result.

The good news is that there are plenty of ways to reduce the risk of your dog being exposed to rock salt. From choosing different routes for the daily walk to investing in dog-friendly ice melt, here’s how to keep man’s best friend safer and healthier this winter.

Treat the feet

Even without the risk of rock salt becoming embedded in your dog’s paws, winter walks can come with additional risks. Check the paws after every walk or time spent outside for any trapped salt grains or debris, cuts and evidence of soreness or irritation. Gently wash your dog’s feet when you get home, patting them dry with a towel. You might like to add a thin layer of petroleum jelly or a similar barrier before taking your dog outside. You can also get specialist dog booties for your pet to wear for added protection and warmth.

Ring the changes

If your usual walking routes take you past a lot of treated paths, pavements and driveways that could have rock salt on them, try walking somewhere else for a while to give your dog a break. Go for more rural spots, where the roads etc. may not have been treated quite so assiduously with rock salt, or other non-dog-friendly salt products. Good places to try if you can’t reach the countryside so easily are parks, gardens and fields (check dogs are allowed in these places first), where they can enjoy walking and playing in softer, untrodden snow.

Water aware

Don’t let your dog drink from puddles or streams in colder weather, as rock salt from treated frost and ice may have run off into pools of water, where it will cause harm if swallowed. Always carry your own water supply and some treats for your dog during a walk so that you can give him what he needs at any point along the route. Equally, take a blanket or towel to clean him off if he gets muddy, rather than allowing him to wash in potentially salty water. While on the topic of drinking, watch out for signs of dehydration as dogs use up extra energy staying warm in the winter and may need extra food and water to help him with this.

Pet-safe ice melt

One particularly effective way to protect your canine companion when out and about in the winter is to use a pet-friendly ice melting product like EcoGrit that does not contain any rock salt, urea or other harmful ingredients to grit your own driveway, paths and garden. This gives your dog a wider area to run about safely, while still enabling you to clear ice and snow effectively and safely, down to -20°C. It works for up to seven days, meaning that you don’t need to use so much, and it is safe if pets accidentally ingest it. It’s biodegradable too, meaning that you can extend your love of animals to the wider ecological habitats around your home, garden and locality.

Indoor and outdoor fun

Finally, if you provide your dog with plenty of room for plating, eating, sleeping and generally enjoying life indoors, he won’t have to rely on being outside for his daily living requirements. Make him a safe, comfortable place to sleep and have separate eating areas and lots of toys to play with to keep his body and mind active, whatever the weather.

Wintertime brings about many challenges for people trying to go about their daily lives, not least of which is coping with slippery ice on driveways, pavements and roads. Falls from slipping or sliding over on black ice, hardened snow and frost account for a high proportion of the injuries seen by hospital A&E departments in the colder months and the repercussions from these can last for a lot longer than one season.

Additionally, cycling and driving is more dangerous to do on an icy road due to the lack of traction and longer time needed to brake safely. Collisions between cars etc. are more likely to occur if one or more driver starts to lose control of their vehicle. A quick and easy way to reduce the risk and clear away dangerous snow, frost or ice is to spread grit of some form or another onto the road to add traction and help melt the ice so that it turns back into a liquid and runs safely off the surface into the gutters. However, all grit is not the same, and some types are more suitable to use than others.

What is grit made of?

Traditionally, grit used to clear the road is made largely of rock salt. The salt lowers the freezing temperature of the moisture in the ice, causing it to melt away. It breaks down the molecules and makes it harder for the ice to remain frozen. Salting icy roads in this way is effective, right down to temperatures of -26.6 degrees C; however, as already mentioned, it also causes problems due to its corrosive toxicity and effect on the surrounding environment. It is also not safe to eat, so causes additional harm to pets who get it on their paws and lick them to remove it.

Is rock salt safe?

Using the correct terminology from science, rock salt is made of the chemical sodium chloride, which can cause painful salt burns to humans and animals alike if handled too much or incorrectly. It can also be harmful when inhaled, so wearing a mask when applying it is vital.

Rock salt can also harm roads, pavements and driveways, infiltrating porous materials such as concrete and asphalt and lowering their pH level, making it less stable and more prone to cracks, surface spalling and fissures from passing traffic. In turn, these cracks pose a risk to the vehicles themselves and increase the probability of punctures and tears to the tyres and corrosion to the underside of cars, lorries and vans.

How long does salt last on the roads?

Rock salt can stay on pavements and roads for a long time, spreading onto vehicles and people for several days before eventually running off in water from the melted ice or winter rainfall. This is why it is capable of causing such widespread problems.

Once it is diluted in the run-off water or rain puddles, it stays around in liquid form for longer, seeping into the soil, flowing into water sources and clinging to the underside of vehicles and the soles of people’s shoes and animals’ paws. Just one application of rock salt can stay in the local area in one form or another for days, if not weeks.

Does road grit damage the environment?

While road grit consisting mainly or wholly of rock salt can be effective as a deicer, it can cause significant harm to the environment, threatening habitats nearby, such as lakes and rivers, domestic gardens and hedgerows. This is due to the salt getting into water sources, injuring local wildlife and altering the chemistry of the ecosystems affected.

From causing fish, water fowl and other lake and pond life to become sick to leading to plants to defoliate, rock salt affects the environment at multiple levels. Plants absorb the rock salt instead of the crucial minerals they need to survive, which causes mineral deficiencies and makes it harder for the roots to draw up the water from the soil the plant needs to survive.

Why it’s important to use EcoGrit Concentrate

The good news is that there are viable alternatives for deicing and gritting the roads in colder temperatures that do not result in such harmful repercussions. Using an organically derived grit compound that does not contain rock salt will give all the benefits of a powerful deicer safely and easily. EcoGrit Concentrate fits the bill perfectly, with its corrosive ingredients and pet-friendly formula

Carrying EcoGrit with you in your vehicle offers valuable peace of mind that you have to worry about sliding and causing an accident, or having to abandon your car mid-journey. EcoGrit will help get you home and out of the adverse winter weather without harming passers-by, pets, the local wildlife or your own vehicle and belongings.

When is it the right time to grit roads?

We have all seen the huge grittering machines doing their work on frosty roads, and being able to apply grit as quickly as possible really helps keep surfaces safe and traffic flowing smoothly during colder spells. You can apply grit at any stage, but getting it down sooner will generally reap more effective results. Grit can stay on the surface for several days; however, as traffic passes over it, it can be worn away or carried off in melted ice, so regular reapplication is wise.

EcoGrit works on icy surfaces for up to seven days in temperatures down to -20 degrees C. You can even apply it before ice forms to help alleviate problems before they arrive – just keep an eye on the forecast to be well prepared this winter.

What is black ice?

When roads freeze over, they can become covered by a thin layer of smooth ice that is practically invisible to the human eye. This is known as black ice and is more dangerous than coatings of frost or snow, due to its lack of visibility. Vehicles and pedestrians alike can be caught unawares by black ice, especially in areas where it is patchy and so more unpredictable. It is best to stay calm when faced with black ice. Slow down, stay vigilant and keep the vehicle as straight as you can until you can regain traction. If you are walking, try to hold on to a rail or similar to help yourself stay upright and wear suitable shoes or boots with a good, grippy sole so you don’t slip over too easily.

What are potholes?

Potholes are the bane of many motorist’s and cyclist’s lives. They can cause extensive damage to tyres and vehicle undercarriages, as well as provide a nasty tripping hazard for pedestrians and an added risk for cyclists as they negotiate their cycle around affected areas, weaving in and out of the traffic.

What’s more, potholes in the road look ugly and make the whole area look awful. The bad news is that potholes are far from uncommon, with an estimated one in six of Britain’s roads around the country considered in urgent need of resurfacing.

Whatever their geographical location, roads, streets, paths and pavements are all susceptible to pothole formation. It is caused by groundwater expanding and contracting after it has seeped under the surface, compromising the concrete, asphalt or other types of the material above. As water freezes into ice, it expands, taking up more space and forcing the surface to bend and crack as it takes up more and more room.

The problem with potholes – Is it getting worse?

As the ice cools down, it contracts again, leaving large gaps under the surface that allow more water to get in. Eventually, the pattern of expanding and contracting weakens the road or pavement so much that the concrete cracks and unsightly potholes form. They are then made even bigger as the weight of heavy vehicles passes over them, weakening and breaking down the surface even more.

The story doesn’t end there. As temperatures drop low enough for groundwater to freeze, ice, frost and snow settle on the roads and pavements. This makes them slippery and dangerous for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians alike. Measures are then taken to melt the ice away and so restore a safer surface.

Problems really start when corrosive rock salt is used for this purpose. The chemicals inside it lower the temperature at which the water freezes, thus creating an accelerated freeze-thaw cycle that allows further damage to happen.

How to prevent potholes

Knowing how potholes form on dirt roads can help to reduce their impact. It is key to spot them early on, so regular street inspections are crucial. Any potholes that are discovered, however large or small they may be, should be reported straight away to the council, who can then arrange their repair.

If the cracks in a developing pothole can be sealed while they are still small and not able to let vast quantities of water in, this can help to mitigate the potential damage caused to the affected roadway. Materials commonly used to repair forming potholes include thermoplastics and cold plastic infill. These prevent water ingress and strengthen the road, adding to its useful lifespan and removing the need for expensive, extensive repairs.

Another way is to stop using corrosive rock salt to grit icy roads. The good news is that there are several alternatives that are not as toxic as rock salt and that offer an excellent solution without harming any surfaces or surrounding wildlife, people or vehicles. Naturally derived de-icing solutions such as EcoGrit Concentrate can make a huge difference to the state of any roads that are treated and last up to seven days. It can be safely left to wash away without harming any local water sources or delicate ecosystems beneath the soil.

Then, a longer-term solution could also include measures to reduce the traffic that uses the roads. Introducing cycling schemes and incentives for car sharing, for example, could help to cut down on the number of vehicles that actually pass over compromised parts of the road.

Finally, improving water drainage systems can also help matters, as it gives melting water somewhere to run off to without pooling underneath the surface, ready to crack it and create potholes when temperatures move back below freezing. This can also stop water from getting trapped on the roads’ surfaces, which can be hazardous for vehicles travelling by that could be at risk of skidding out of control.

Does rain cause potholes?

Speaking of water, in a country that sees a great deal of rain, it could be considered that rain makes potholes worse. The rain certainly doesn’t help; however, the real threat is from the freeze-thaw effect underground that commonly happens in colder seasons.

The best way to keep out the rain is to repair cracks and potholes when they are discovered and protect the road surface by refraining from using rock salt and opting for an environmentally friendly, organic alternative de-icer, such as EgoGrit Concentrate.

Looking for a safer way to de-ice icy surfaces?

Of course, one of the most effective ways to combat the menace that is the rise of pothole formations across the UK and Republic of Ireland is to stop them from forming in the first place – as best as you can.

Only using chemically gentle de-icing products to treat icy surfaces is a highly effective way to protect vulnerable surfaces, such as concrete and asphalt. For more details about the many benefits of EcoGrit Concentrate, speak to an expert at EcoGrit today.

Rock salt has long been a common choice when it comes to clearing away ice and snow from outdoor surfaces, due to its affordability, availability and ease of application. However, the longer-term effects of using it are far from ideal and can outweigh any short-term benefits by a considerable margin.

Rock salt, or sodium chloride, contains strong chemicals that react with the ground and low temperatures to melt ice back into water. In so doing, it renders a slippery surface safer to walk or drive on in sub-zero temperatures. These chemicals can cause a great deal of harm, not just to the surfaces themselves, but to the people and animals walking on them, as well as the wider environment and ecosystem.

As a country, Britain has long had a right to be proud of its strong civil engineering heritage, creating road networks and structures that have lasted for decades, if not centuries. Now, rock salt is putting this all at risk with its corrosive nature. Damage caused by excessive use of rock salt can lead to unusable roads, long traffic jams, compromised vehicles and risks to the economy if people cannot get where they need to be, or are held up or put off altogether from travelling for business.

Even if applying rock salt achieves an element of short-term ice melting success on the roads, the effects don’t last for long and are ineffective during heavy snow.

There is plenty of evidence around proving that sodium chloride can seriously damage all kinds of exterior surfaces and construction materials, including concrete, stone, brick and asphalt. It can cause cracks, chips and dips in the road that turn into pot holes and larger fractures that lead to tyre punctures and damage to a vehicle’s chassis.

Rock salt can also be thrown up by moving vehicles and stuck to their underside. Over time, it weakens and corrodes the metal with which it has come into contact. Salt that has been spread on or near buildings and structures, such as bridges or steps, can also cause them serious harm if left on too long.

The wider environment

Quite apart from damaging surfaces, rock salt is also highly toxic for the environment and the delicate ecosystems that surround treated pavements, roads and driveways. Unlike other, granular de-icing products, rock salt is made of larger crystals that stay on the surface for ages while working to melt the ice beneath. It is not biodegradable, and the crystals tend to be walked, brushed or swept away by the melted ice into the surrounding soil and on into the groundwater beneath.

Just as we are all being encouraged to live more responsibly and sustainably through reduced use of plastics, lower food miles and smaller carbon footprints, so too must we take care when choosing how to de-ice our exterior surfaces and take account of where products end up after they have done their job.

Once rock salt enters the groundwater, it alters the composition of the soil and can adversely affect the plants that rely on it for efficient growth. This kills them, or stunts their growth, thus reducing food and shelter options for the resident insects, birds and small animals.

Plants that have been damaged by rock salt show signs of underdevelopment, delayed budding, browning leaves and scorching. The salt can also enter nearby water sources, such as ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, thus affecting fish and other marine life. And, so it goes on, affecting and exposing the entire food chain to toxic risks.

Children and animals

It’s not just the wildlife that we must take care of and avoid exposing to rock salt. Our children and pets can be put in equal danger if we don’t take care of our actions when de-icing frosty surfaces. Pets such as cats and dogs have delicate paws that can be injured when they are overly exposed to rock salt. Taking a dog for a winter walk can end up with their paws sustaining painful burns or skin irritations after coming into contact with rock salt.

Symptoms of exposure include soreness, redness and itching. The crystals themselves are sharp too, which can break the skin’s surface and allow the chemicals to enter the bloodstream. Consequently, your pet’s blood sodium concentration could rise to dangerous levels, potentially leading to lethargy, thirst and kidney damage.

Dogs and cats tend to be fastidious when it comes to personal hygiene and will lick themselves to keep clean. It is very hard to get rock salt out of fur, as it has a habit of

sticking to whatever surface it finds itself on. Many cats, dogs and even rabbits also enjoy drinking from puddles whenever they get the chance. This all leads on to rock salt entering their digestive tract and causing stomach upsets, vomiting, drooling and thirst. A whole range of problems that could end up with your pet suffering needlessly and your wallet taking a significant hit at the vet.

Children can also become unwitting victims of rock salt exposure. Contact with rock salt can lead to soreness, redness and irritation in people of all ages, causing additional problems for children with existing skin conditions, such as eczema, psoriasis or dermatitis. Children frequently put their hands to their face and mouth too, raising the risk of them ingesting the salt and experiencing stomach or digestive problems as a direct result.

Finally, children love to play in the frost and snow, and will be the first to throw snowballs, make snowmen and trek snow indoors on their boots and shoes, potentially spreading rock salt all over the house and adding to the housework burden. Rock salt can burn holes in carpets and rugs if walked inside. The key here is strict adherence to washing hands, removing boots, coats and gloves at the door and working to keep rock salt out of the home and away from people’s skin and mouths as much as possible.

What’s the alternative?

The good news is that there is no need to stick to rock salt for de-icing frosty and icy surfaces. EcoGrit Concentrate is an organic, biodegradable and safe alternative that won’t damage surfaces or leak toxic chemicals into the ecosystem. The granules are non-corrosive, fine and highly effective, working at lower temperatures than rock salt for up to seven days. They will not harm children, pets, local plants or wildlife, making them ideal for use on any exterior surface. Additionally, because it’s soluble, it can be made into a spray to use on metal climbing frames, drain covers and handrails.

EcoGrit Concentrate can be applied in advance of any ice appearing too, allowing you to prepare for sub-zero temperatures in plenty of time. Find out more and order your supplies today at ecogrit.co.uk.

#SayNOtoRockSalt #SayYEStoEcoGrit #PowerToThePeople

From working in the road repairs industry it soon became apparent to me that the rock salt that is put down on our roads does an unbelievable amount of damage.

This damage isn’t just to the roads, rock salt corrodes and rusts any metalwork it is in contact with, as well as any vehicles which use them. It puts high levels of salt back into the watercourse and does damage to most living things including plants and animals.

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