Road salt

The salt is stored in the large hopper on the rear of the vehicle, with a wire mesh over the top to prevent foreign objects from entering the spreading mechanism and hence becoming jammed.

The salt is generally spread across the roadway by an impeller, attached by a hydraulic drive system to a small onboard engine.

Salt for use of melting ice and snow works through a phenomenon called freezing-point depression, the lowering of a substances freezing point after the addition of solutes.

[15] It has recently started rising in popularity since it is not as environmentally damaging as sodium chloride, and also because of its heightened effectiveness at clearing ice.

However, it has been discovered that magnesium chloride causes far more damage to concrete surfaces compared to the other salts, and its use as a de-icing chemical has largely been discontinued.

While effective and relatively inexpensive, this practice incurs hidden costs because of its corrosive nature, leading to approximately $5 billion in annual repairs across the United States, according to the country's Environmental Protection Agency.

[19] Elevated sodium levels pose health risks for individuals with hypertension, and high chloride concentrations are toxic to aquatic life.

Additionally, wildlife attracted to the salt (such as deer and moose) can be endangered, as they may ingest harmful amounts or be drawn to roadways, increasing the likelihood of vehicle collisions.