Road salt

I took this picture of road salt during the February snowfall in Vancouver, Canada. I was curious what happens to the salt once it has been dissolved and found that it is a large environmental pollutant. Once dissolved, it seeps into the soil and into freshwater ecosystems. This puts vegetation and animals that use the water source for survival at risk. Moreover, this translates into direct consequences for human health as well, with freshwater sources reaching chloride levels that are beyond safe levels of consumption. The water also becomes hostile to fish survival, which is a source of food for many. Moreover, the road salts corrode tires and roads, therefore increasing the amount of cement and rubber manufacturing required to maintain and repair roads, further perpetuating climate change.