The problem of vehicle corrosion and rust damage always intensifies in the winter. To make winter roads passable, highway personnel typically apply harsh chemical de-icers to melt ice and snow to provide traction.
The problem has been accelerating as local, state and transportation departments have begun using more aggressive chemicals, such as calcium chloride and magnesium chloride.
However, there are new measures being taken to reduce vehicle corrosion and rust damage from “road salt.”
This winter, a number of states, including Maryland, Illinois, New York, Ohio and Virginia, have been using of sugar beet molasses to treat snowy and icy roads. Actually, the sugar beet molasses is mixed with salt brine to create a thick, viscous fluid that looks and feels like motor oil.
This solution, called Ice Bite, is said to adhere to pavement for a longer period, which helps reduce the amount of salt that scatters when a truck sprays it onto a roadway.
Ice Bite is believed to make road salt and salt brine more effective at colder temperatures, and is effective at temperatures as low as 25 degrees below zero.
The product can help states cut back on the amount of road salt they use on their roads, which saves them money, and cuts down on environmental problems. When road salt is scattered, it can seep into water tables and aquifers, causing pollution.
What’s more, Ice Bite can cut down on corrosion and rust of vehicles - and that’s a very good thing.
