How PolarFlex® Plow Blades Reduce Salt Use and Limit Environmental Impact
With winter in full swing, salt trucks seem to be everywhere. Treating roads with salt is necessary to melt ice, prevent dangerous sheets from forming, and make streets safe for vehicles and pedestrians. Ensuring that roadways are safe and passable is essential, but the use of salt, particularly in excessive amounts, causes significant harm to the watershed. High-volume road salting impacts rivers, streams, reservoirs, soil, vegetation, and animals.
How it Happens
As snow melts and forms runoff, it blends with the salt solution and flows into groundwater, eventually finding its way to streams, rivers, and reservoirs. High salinity in fresh water inhibits the growth and development of many animal species, and reduces biodiversity. As soil becomes more saline, plants are less able to absorb nutrients, which ultimately affects agricultural output and food supply.
So that’s the bad news.
The Compliance Requirements
Many states in the so called “Salt Belt” are setting limits on salt use due to environmental, fiscal, and supply chain concerns. New York State, for example, introduced a bill that would limit the amount of salt spread by state and local authorities to a maximum of 300 lbs per lane mile. New Jersey has put forth a ban on the use of Urea as ice-melt. Urea, although technically not a salt, is often used as a pet-friendly alternative to rock salt and has negative impacts on the environment. Recently, the state of Connecticut stopped providing salt and sand to residents due to a major shortages. Other states such as Vermont, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan have varying policies in place or under consideration to limit salt usage on roadways.
The Good News
Municipalities can take steps to reduce salt use and lessen its negative impact on the environment by utilizing top-quality Live Action plowing equipment. When plow blades operate at the highest levels of performance, they can clear surfaces effectively and this takes some of the burden off the salt budget. If you clear more snow in the front, you can use less salt in the back!
The Solution: PolarFlex™️ Plow Blade System
The PolarFlex System is a Live Action blade because it uses cutting-edge Contour Response Technology (CRT), which adjusts to road surfaces in real time. Because the blade hugs the road closely, it achieves thorough clearing with fewer passes. It also reduces the amount of salt required, because it completely removes the accumulated snow and ice without needing as much melting materials. This is better for the environment, and also saves on the cost of salt.
The numbers don’t lie!
In the storm that just slammed the Eastern US, a Glenco customer shared some compelling data:
“We recently installed Live Action PolarFlex Plow Blades on two of our trucks. Those trucks used 8-12% less salt than those fitted with carbide blades on the same routes, equivalent snow accumulations, and severe temperatures. The Live Action PolarFlex Plow Blades really made a difference!”
PolarFlex Live Action plow blades are comprised of rubber components, which effectively absorb vibrations. This prioritizes the operators, who, as a result of this design, experience a smoother ride and are less likely to incur injury and repetitive motion issues. The rubber material also lessens wear and tear on the equipment because of the reduction in friction. Finally, PolarFlex plow systems are quieter, which makes for less noise pollution, and are 100% recyclable, which considerably lowers environmental impact.
Glenco is proud to be an authorized dealer of the PolarFlex Snow Plow System, and we stand by every aspect of the product for its quality, innovation, durability, eco-friendliness, and safety. To learn how Glenco can help your municipality use less salt, reduce salinity in your fresh water, and deliver the best snow plowing service for your roadways, please contact our team today.
