Salt concern raises concern from Duluth resident

November 7, 2010

By Nicholas Miller

Duluth, MN - Worry was raised by one concerned citizen and researcher at Monday’s City Council budget hearing when the council voted unanimously to approve a contract between the City of Duluth and Morton International.

The contract confirms the delivery of road salt from Morton International to be used on local streets between October and April worth a total of $772,808.85. To most people this seems to be completely normal for a Minnesota winter but one concerned citizen warns that it is having a detrimental effect on the environment.
“My research indicated that our streams, once full of trout, are now empty.” said local researcher Linda Sellner. According to her research road salt is not compatible with local plant life. When the plants die from the salt it allows more erosion to take place along the stream. Alarmingly she points out that “70 percent of road salt is going directly into the environment.”
Sellner also provided some tips to help Duluth reduce its use of standard road salt. She suggests not using salt at all below 15 degrees, pouring brine water on the streets before it storms, and to plow before salting so that only areas that truly need the salt get it.