EnviroTech Journal

Commercial snow removal customers often ask why not use sand as the preferred deicer.  It comes down to several different factors as to why this may not be the best answer. Below is a mailbag format with many of the most common questions asked about using sand and an alternative that provides many of the benefits without all the negatives.

Tire ballasting is popular with farmers and many OTR vehicles as it allows vehicles to work safely, with heavier loads than normal.  BallastSeal® enhances both the applicability and usability of Bio-Ballast® Liquid Tire Ballast.  BallastSeal® when used in conjunction with Bio-Ballast® offers the market a unique solution.  Today’s newer tubeless tires often can benefit from a sealant in the Agriculture, Industrial and Off-Road liquid tire ballast market. There are many aspects about liquid ballasting with Bio-Ballast®, in conjunction with BallastSeal®, that will help in getting the most out of your equipment investment. Ballasting with liquid in tires, such as Bio-Ballast®, has proven to pay dividends.  When a lower center of gravity is achieved allowing for more confident operation when lifting and pulling. The combination of BallastSeal™ and BioBallast® helps maintain the optimum tire pressure and maximizes fuel savings.  All the while minimizing the risk due to tire failure, loss of ballast, need for service calls, and enhancing the equipment efficiencies and safety. 

As we detailed in our November Blog, EnviroTech and Redmond are working with WTI (Western Transportation Institute) to develop a test that measures the influence a deicer has on surface friction. The existing standard test, SHRP 205 doesn’t provide performance-based results that speak to the true goal of deicing – which is to return a driving surface to a safe friction level as quickly as possible for a sustained period, and at maximum efficiency. Again, this new friction test, and its resulting data, was developed as a test method using a friction analyzer, a cold plate, and simulated track to measure the true effectiveness of deicers - replicating as closely as possible real-life conditions. 

Snowfighters that operate snowplows can definitely tell if the blade on their plow isn’t operating or working correctly, but the performance and effectiveness of the salt spreader which isn’t readily visible is less easy to tell if it is working correctly.  To ensure spreaders are working properly users should perform routine maintenance and calibrate them.

Commercial building managers normally have four items of concern outside of the building itself: people, landscapes, sidewalks and parking areas. Taking these concerns into consideration, we will explore different alternatives available to deal with ice and snow while minimizing effects on plants, grass, concrete and asphalt. A sensible and effective deicing strategy is necessary in order to minimize negative effects and costs of deicing while keeping the various landscaping and transportation facilities safe.

Pre-treating stockpiles of sand or salt with SOS™, an offering from EnviroTech Services Inc. (www.envirotechservices.com), will save you money, time, labor, and equipment maintenance.  SOS™ is designed to increase melting efficiency, reduce corrosion, eliminate the need to pre-wet, and keep your salt or sand on the road. Adding SOS™ to your stockpiles will enable you to achieve a higher level of service, safer surfaces and reduced environmental impact.

Friction is very important to people – without it, for example, we could not walk or even crawl, so why did it take so long for the study of the relationship that exist between deicers and snowy/icy roads.  Scientists at EnviroTech Services have been studying this relationship and with the help of modern road sensors have developed a test that shows the effect on friction for deicers.  A little history on friction and tires, roads and now deicers follows.

This month, we will be looking at next Blog in the series titled the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). The second TCO we will investigate this month includes looking at some of the hidden costs of using water as Dust Suppressant.

Over the next three months, we will be looking at series called the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for Applying Dust Control. The first TCO we’ll look at is costs and benefits of Treating vs. Leaving untreated unpaved roads, next we’ll investigate some of the hidden costs of using water as Dust Suppressant and finally, we’ll finish up the series with equipment maintenance benefits/savings.

Unpaved roads can be an unpleasant nuisance, affecting the quality of life for everyone who travels on gravel roads and those who live or work nearby. It is also a warning sign of costly road damage that can increase maintenance requirements and strain road commission budgets. Just as important, road dust can threaten the driving safety and public health, damage vehicles, and other property, and harm our natural environment. Considering that there are approximately two million miles of unpaved roads in the U.S. and more than 600,000 km in Canada, efforts to control road dust are a concern in both the United States and Canada. The issues with unpaved roads and dust control exist globally also.

AMP® is one of EnviroTech’s latest product releases and it brings technical innovation and outstanding product quality to the salt brine additive market. Salt Brine is a great tool for snowfighters, as it can be used for pre-treating, deicing and anti-icing. But salt brine alone has some very detectable performance limitations: 1) salt brine is prone to drying out and being blown from the surface by the wind, 2) the melting point of salt brine is often not low enough to be effective in many storms, and 3) salt brine is among the worst options in terms of the corrosion it will cause.