EnviroTech Journal

When winter storms come, it is typically the state’s Department of Transportation (DOT) and Public Works Agency's responsibility to ensure roads are snow and ice free. Individuals who help create and implement deicing and anti-icing programs are looking to make strategic decisions that maximize operational efficiency.

To increase efficiency, it is important to avoid expensive and time-consuming obstacles, like vehicle maintenance and replacement. State DOTs and Public Works Agencies are taking proactive measures to minimize issues, like corrosion damage, which can be a large contributor to vehicle damage. 

Corrosion is a natural oxidation process that erodes metals due to chemical reactions. Once corrosion is present, it spreads quickly and degrades the quality of metal by forming abrasions, cracks, and holes. State DOTs are working to alleviate corrosion damage by decreasing the amount of product needed to clear roads by implementing brine technology and corrosion inhibitors.

Sometimes product deliveries do not go as planned…

The product may have been delivered to the wrong location, perhaps the wrong amount of product was delivered, or even the wrong product itself was delivered! Cut out the hassle of delivery when you order with EnviroTech Services, Inc.

EnviroTech Services, Inc. is proud to provide quick and convenient delivery of superior road surface solutions. To ensure complete customer satisfaction, EnviroTech Services, Inc. utilizes local Denver service, Sitefotos, for photo-taking, project-tagging, customer communication, and more! By simply snapping a photo of the before and after conditions of a project, communication with the customer is increased with the touch of a button.

When the snow stops flying and the roads are slowing down, it is common for anyone working in snow removal to wonder how the shift went as they finish the last run of the day. 

“How could have my shift gone better?,” you ask yourself as you remember moments that seemed a little off- like how the truck jumped when the plow grabbed the snowpack or how the wing plow did not go down as fast as it did before.

When evaluating a long shift, it is important to think about the condition of your trucks and equipment.

According to the Federal Highway Administration, there are over 1,300 deaths and more than 116,800 injuries caused by vehicle crashes on snowy, slushy or icy pavements across the nation each year. Road surface condition is the single most important safety factor during a winter event — more important than visibility, precipitation, air temperature, wind or exposure.

One of the biggest enemies to farm machinery and infrastructure is corrosion damage. It is clear when corrosion is present because discoloration and deformation appears on metal surfaces. If left unattended, corrosion spreads and affects nearby surfaces.

A common and costly issue a variety of industries face is corrosion damage, yet no one seems to talk about it. The experts at EnviroTech are here to provide valuable information about what corrosion is, the affect of corrosion, and how it can be prevented. Let’s go over some commonly asked questions regarding corrosion:

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. 

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.

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.