More and more cities are starting to use beet juice as an effective way to tackle ice. In Toronto, city crews have been using beet juice for the past five years as temperatures dip below -20. According to many experts, the combination of beet juice and traditional rock salt is fairly recent, yet effective in melting ice at temperatures of -30 and below. So what do you think about beet juice being used for our streets?
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Experts say the cost of beet juice is more than traditional rock salt, but less is needed compared to salt. In Niagara Falls, nearly $2 per lane kilometer is saved creating up to $1,600 a year in savings.
More facts about beet juice:
- · Beet juice has been proven to be less corrosive than salt on roads.
- · The cost is relatively the same as salt coming in at $1.70-$1.85 per gallon.
- · To be effective, cities mix 20% beet juice with 80% salt brine.
- · 30,000 gallons of beet juice/brine mix can be stored and mixed quickly.
- · Beet juice needs salt brine to work.
- · It’s organic and melts to very low temperatures reducing need for other materials.