My Opinion:
• Road salt may be an effective way to melt ice on roads, but it comes with many drawbacks, that can especially harm the environment, and even damage infrastructure.
Argument #1: Salt contaminates many bodies of water, which affects aquatic animals in a negative way.
• Salt in ponds and lakes prevents aquatic plants and animals from getting their nutrients.
• High concentrations of salt in freshwater has harmful effects on the growth, reproduction, and survival of invertebrates, fish, and amphibians.
• Effects of salt include decreases in biodiversity, decrease in fish numbers and types, and higher mortality rates among organisms that rely on marine life for food.
Argument #2: It damages trees, soil and vegetation.
• The …show more content…
• As a result, some plants will die off.
• When the salt concentrations in the soil are higher than inside the root cells, the soil will draw water from the root, and the plant will wilt and die.
• Trees and plants may absorb soil contaminants and pass them up the food chain.
• Trees close to roads can be exposed to snow which can contain large quantities of salt, which is then taken up by the roots and transported to the leaves.
• Salt also dehydrates plants and alters the composition of soil near roads.
Argument #3: Causes metals to rust, and it’s corrosive.
• Road salt speeds up the process of rusting.
• Salt also causes damage to concrete bridges.
• Chloride can penetrate and deteriorate concrete on bridge decking, parking garage structures, and other infrastructure.
• It damages vehicle parts such as frames, bumpers, and other areas.
• The cost of corrosion damage costs about 16-19 billion dollars a year in Canada.
Alternatives and Conclusion:
• There are alternate solutions that we can use to reduce the amount of environmental, and economical effects that salt comes with.
• Some
• Road salt may be an effective way to melt ice on roads, but it comes with many drawbacks, that can especially harm the environment, and even damage infrastructure.
Argument #1: Salt contaminates many bodies of water, which affects aquatic animals in a negative way.
• Salt in ponds and lakes prevents aquatic plants and animals from getting their nutrients.
• High concentrations of salt in freshwater has harmful effects on the growth, reproduction, and survival of invertebrates, fish, and amphibians.
• Effects of salt include decreases in biodiversity, decrease in fish numbers and types, and higher mortality rates among organisms that rely on marine life for food.
Argument #2: It damages trees, soil and vegetation.
• The …show more content…
• As a result, some plants will die off.
• When the salt concentrations in the soil are higher than inside the root cells, the soil will draw water from the root, and the plant will wilt and die.
• Trees and plants may absorb soil contaminants and pass them up the food chain.
• Trees close to roads can be exposed to snow which can contain large quantities of salt, which is then taken up by the roots and transported to the leaves.
• Salt also dehydrates plants and alters the composition of soil near roads.
Argument #3: Causes metals to rust, and it’s corrosive.
• Road salt speeds up the process of rusting.
• Salt also causes damage to concrete bridges.
• Chloride can penetrate and deteriorate concrete on bridge decking, parking garage structures, and other infrastructure.
• It damages vehicle parts such as frames, bumpers, and other areas.
• The cost of corrosion damage costs about 16-19 billion dollars a year in Canada.
Alternatives and Conclusion:
• There are alternate solutions that we can use to reduce the amount of environmental, and economical effects that salt comes with.
• Some