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==Environmental Impacts==Salt contamination in freshwater (freshwater salinization) is a major concern to Ontarians wellbeing:*Unpleasant taste in drinking water*Health issue for those with hypertension issues*Health issue for those who have experienced congestive heart failure*Impacts to those with sodium restricted diets[[File:Chloride level LSRCA.PNG|thumb|650px|A graph showing increasing average levels of chloride found in Lake Simcoe, and its watershed's rivers, streams and groundwater systems over the past few decades, due in part to increased use of rock salt in parking lots, roadways and commercial and residential properties. It is estimated that by 2120 the average level of chloride within the the Lake Simcoe watershed will exceed the 120mg/l guideline set by CWQG. (LSRCA, 2018)<ref>LSRCA. 2018. Parking Lot Design Guidelines: Municipal Policy Templates to Promote Salt Reduction in Parking Lots. https://www.lsrca.on.ca/Shared%20Documents/Parking-Lot-Design-Guidelines/Parking%20Lot%20Design%20Guidelines.pdf.</ref>]]Furthermore, salt can contribute to both biodiversity and habitat loss for numerous species. In Ontario, road salt was identified as one of the threats to drinking water under the Clean Water Act, 2006 - as well as a known toxin to wildlife species<ref>Government of Ontario. 2006. Clean Water Act, 2006, S.O. 2006, c. 22. https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/06c22.</ref>. Salt can impacts bird species, many plants and trees growth ability, and decrease size, function and fecundify in fish, mollusks (snail, mussels, etc.), amphibians and benthic invertebrate species.Staff from TRCA released an article in the January/February, 2022 edition of Water Canada magazine highlighting the effects of rock salt's over use and application across Southern Ontario's watersheds and is impact on freshwater environments and species.Some of the key findings from the article highlight:*In Ontario chloride concentrations (Cl<sup>-</sup>) are measured monthly under the Provincial Water Quality Monitoring Network (PWQMN)<ref>Ontario Government. 2021. Provincial (Stream) Water Quality Monitoring Network. https://data.ontario.ca/dataset/provincial-stream-water-quality-monitoring-network (Accessed: 25 Mar., 2022)</ref>. Concentrations in the mouth of the Don River has showcased levels three times that of the Canadian Water Quality Guidance (CWQG) for long-term chronic effects to the environment and species.*Although the PWQMN has been an excellent tool for following the long-term trends of median concentration levels in the province's watersheds the infrequency of sampling will at times miss peak and extreme values and outliers that result in excessive salt and chloride loadings in key areas with species at risk, etc.*As a result, TRCA, along with its partners began a monitoring project at the mouths of the major tributaries within the GTA using high-frequency sensors, which make readings ever 15 mins.*Some of the results from their monitoring work found**''Highland Creek'': 70 times the CWQG limit for chronic effects & 13 times the CWQG limit for acute effects of aquatic organisms.**''Duffins Creek'': 25 times the CWQG limit for chronic effects & ~5 times the CWQG limit for acute effects of aquatic organisms.*These high values pose a considerable threat to fish, aquatic organisms, and ecosystem health overall - especially considering the frequency and duration of these values in major watercourses in urbanized areas of the province. The findings highlight the need for increased water monitoring efforts and requirements for new sensor technology to capture and accurate representation of the current state of our rivers and streams. (Wallace, et al. 2022.<ref>Wallace, A., Hitch, C., Ruppert, J., Chomicki, K., Cartwright, L., and VanSeters, T. 2022. Freshwater Salinization. Water Canada. January/February 2022. WC122. Digital. https://cdn.watercanada.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/17161341/WC122_JanFeb2022_DIGITAL.pdf</ref>
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Line 220: *[https://sustainabletechnologies.ca/app/uploads/2014/05/CWQG_chlorides.pdf Chloride - Canadian Water Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Aquatic Life]<ref>Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment. 2011. Canadian water quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life: Chloride. In: Canadian environmental quality guidelines, 1999, Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, Winnipeg. https://sustainabletechnologies.ca/app/uploads/2014/05/CWQG_chlorides.pdf</ref>. **This guideline from the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) is intended to protect against direct toxic effects of chloride, based on studies using NaCl and CaCl<sup>2</sup> salts. The guideline should be used as a screening and management tool to ensure that chloride does not lead to the degradation of the aquatic environment. Further guidance on the application of these guidelines is provided in the scientific criteria document (CCME 2011), which can be found here - [https://www.ccme.ca/fr/res/2011-chloride-ceqg-scd-1460-en.pdf Scientific Criteria Document - Cl Ion].
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==Environmental Impacts==
Salt contamination in freshwater (freshwater salinization) is a major concern to Ontarians wellbeing as it can lead to:
*Unpleasant taste in drinking water
*Health issues for those with hypertension issues
*Health issues for those who have experienced congestive heart failure
*Impacts to those with sodium restricted diets
[[File:Chloride level LSRCA.PNG|thumb|650px|A graph showing increasing average levels of chloride found in Lake Simcoe, and its watershed's rivers, streams and groundwater systems over the past few decades, due in part to increased use of rock salt in parking lots, roadways and commercial and residential properties. It is estimated that by 2120 the average level of chloride within the the Lake Simcoe watershed will exceed the 120mg/l guideline set by CWQG. (LSRCA, 2018)<ref>LSRCA. 2018. Parking Lot Design Guidelines: Municipal Policy Templates to Promote Salt Reduction in Parking Lots. https://www.lsrca.on.ca/Shared%20Documents/Parking-Lot-Design-Guidelines/Parking%20Lot%20Design%20Guidelines.pdf.</ref>]]
Furthermore, salt can contribute to both biodiversity and habitat loss for numerous species. In Ontario, road salt was identified as one of the threats to drinking water under the Clean Water Act, 2006 - as well as a known toxin to wildlife species<ref>Government of Ontario. 2006. Clean Water Act, 2006, S.O. 2006, c. 22. https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/06c22.</ref>. Salt can impacts bird species, many plants and trees growth ability, and decrease size, function and fecundify in fish, mollusks (snail, mussels, etc.), amphibians and benthic invertebrate species.
A recent literature review by [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331991752_A_review_of_the_species_community_and_ecosystem_impacts_of_road_salt_salinisation_in_fresh_waters Hintz and Relyea (2019)]<ref>Hintz, W.D. and Relyea, R.A. 2019. A review of the species, community, and ecosystem impacts of road salt salinisation in fresh waters. Freshwater biology, 64(6), pp.1081-1097. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331991752_A_review_of_the_species_community_and_ecosystem_impacts_of_road_salt_salinisation_in_fresh_waters</ref>,
discusses the impacts of road salt on local ecosystems and found that road salts negatively affect species at all trophic levels, from biofilms to fish species, but the concentration of road salt where adverse effects were observed varied and the effects themselves ranged from:
*Reductions in fecundity, size and shape of various species
*Reduced levels of growth and abundance of sensitive species
*Alterations to nutrient and energy flow at an ecosystem level
*Increased greenhouse gas emissions from contaminated wetlands; and,
*Altered hydrology, oxygen, nitrogen and carbon level dynamics in lakes and streams.
==CCME Guidelines on Salt's Impact to Environment==
The [https://sustainabletechnologies.ca/app/uploads/2014/05/CWQG_chlorides.pdf Chloride - Canadian Water Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Aquatic Life]<ref>Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment. 2011. Canadian water quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life: Chloride. In: Canadian environmental quality guidelines, 1999, Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, Winnipeg. https://sustainabletechnologies.ca/app/uploads/2014/05/CWQG_chlorides.pdf</ref> document from the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) is another valuable paper that discusses the direct toxic effects of chloride, based on studies using NaCl and CaCl<sup>2</sup> salts. The guideline can be used as a screening and management tool to ensure that chloride does not lead to the degradation of the aquatic environment. Further guidance on the application of these guidelines is provided in the scientific criteria document (CCME 2011), which can be found here - [https://www.ccme.ca/fr/res/2011-chloride-ceqg-scd-1460-en.pdf Scientific Criteria Document - Cl Ion]. The scientific criteria document goes into detail about the following related to chloride levels in the environment:
*Aquatic sources and fate
*Ambient concentration in Canadian waters, sediment and soils
**broken down by province/region
*Toxicity of Chloride (Cl<sup>-</sup>) to Aquatic life
**Influences, short-term toxicity - long-term for vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants and algal species
*Effects of (Cl<sup>-</sup>) on water quality parameters
**Oxygen / Temperature / Hardness / Chloride and its association to other compounds and their toxicity
*Other Impacts
**Mutations / Bioaccumulation / Dermal Effects / Taste and odour of water and fish
Most recently, staff from the TRCA released an article in the January/February, 2022 edition of Water Canada magazine highlighting the effects of rock salt's over use and application across Southern Ontario's watersheds and is impact on freshwater environments and species.
Some of the key findings from the article highlight:
*In Ontario chloride concentrations (Cl<sup>-</sup>) are measured monthly under the Provincial Water Quality Monitoring Network (PWQMN)<ref>Ontario Government. 2021. Provincial (Stream) Water Quality Monitoring Network. https://data.ontario.ca/dataset/provincial-stream-water-quality-monitoring-network (Accessed: 25 Mar., 2022)</ref>. Concentrations in the mouth of the Don River has showcased levels three times that of the Canadian Water Quality Guidance (CWQG) for long-term chronic effects to the environment and species.
*Although the PWQMN has been an excellent tool for following the long-term trends of median concentration levels in the province's watersheds the infrequency of sampling will at times miss peak and extreme values and outliers that result in excessive salt and chloride loadings in key areas with species at risk, etc.
*As a result, TRCA, along with its partners began a monitoring project at the mouths of the major tributaries within the GTA using high-frequency sensors, which make readings ever 15 mins.
*Some of the results from their monitoring work found
**''Highland Creek'': 70 times the CWQG limit for chronic effects & 13 times the CWQG limit for acute effects of aquatic organisms.
**''Duffins Creek'': 25 times the CWQG limit for chronic effects & ~5 times the CWQG limit for acute effects of aquatic organisms.
*These high values pose a considerable threat to fish, aquatic organisms, and ecosystem health overall - especially considering the frequency and duration of these values in major watercourses in urbanized areas of the province. The findings highlight the need for increased water monitoring efforts and requirements for new sensor technology to capture and accurate representation of the current state of our rivers and streams. (Wallace, et al. 2022.<ref>Wallace, A., Hitch, C., Ruppert, J., Chomicki, K., Cartwright, L., and VanSeters, T. 2022. Freshwater Salinization. Water Canada. January/February 2022. WC122. Digital. https://cdn.watercanada.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/17161341/WC122_JanFeb2022_DIGITAL.pdf</ref>
==Overview==
==Overview==
As the "''Time to Reach Bare Pavement Scenario Comparison''" above demonstrates, significant salt and cost savings could be seen in a typical big box store, commercial business or institutional building's parking lot by simply reducing the application rate of rock salt and extending the time to bare pavement by one hour. To note, this is only the material cost of the salt (which varies, but has been [https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-contractors-road-salt-price-hike-1.4934369 higher than $100/tonne in recent years] (Tumilty, 2018)<ref>Tumilty, R. 2018. Rise in road salt prices hits local contractors. Available at: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-contractors-road-salt-price-hike-1.4934369 (Accessed: 24 Mar., 2022)</ref>. Over-application of salt has been noted to cause significant damage to parking lot infrastructure, including issues with concrete, corrosion of railings, damage to landscaping materials, and damage to interior buildings' flooring. Reducing the application rate would decrease the rate at which this damage occurs, as a result helping to minimize the amount needed to repair or replace at a given property each year. All of this without sacrificing the safety of parking lot users.
As the "''Time to Reach Bare Pavement Scenario Comparison''" above demonstrates, significant salt and cost savings could be seen in a typical big box store, commercial business or institutional building's parking lot by simply reducing the application rate of rock salt and extending the time to bare pavement by one hour. To note, this is only the material cost of the salt (which varies, but has been [https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-contractors-road-salt-price-hike-1.4934369 higher than $100/tonne in recent years] (Tumilty, 2018)<ref>Tumilty, R. 2018. Rise in road salt prices hits local contractors. Available at: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-contractors-road-salt-price-hike-1.4934369 (Accessed: 24 Mar., 2022)</ref>. Over-application of salt has been noted to cause significant damage to parking lot infrastructure, including issues with concrete, corrosion of railings, damage to landscaping materials, and damage to interior buildings' flooring. Reducing the application rate would decrease the rate at which this damage occurs, as a result helping to minimize the amount needed to repair or replace at a given property each year. All of this without sacrificing the safety of parking lot users.
==External links==
==External links==
*[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331991752_A_review_of_the_species_community_and_ecosystem_impacts_of_road_salt_salinisation_in_fresh_waters A review of the species, community, and ecosystem impacts of road salt salinisation in fresh waters]. <ref>Hintz, W.D. and Relyea, R.A. 2019. A review of the species, community, and ecosystem impacts of road salt salinisation in fresh waters. Freshwater biology, 64(6), pp.1081-1097. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331991752_A_review_of_the_species_community_and_ecosystem_impacts_of_road_salt_salinisation_in_fresh_waters</ref>.
*[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331991752_A_review_of_the_species_community_and_ecosystem_impacts_of_road_salt_salinisation_in_fresh_waters A review of the species, community, and ecosystem impacts of road salt salinisation in fresh waters]. <ref>Hintz, W.D. and Relyea, R.A. 2019. A review of the species, community, and ecosystem impacts of road salt salinisation in fresh waters. Freshwater biology, 64(6), pp.1081-1097. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331991752_A_review_of_the_species_community_and_ecosystem_impacts_of_road_salt_salinisation_in_fresh_waters</ref>.
**This review study of the impacts of road salt on local ecosystems by Hintz and Relyea (2019), found that road salts negatively affect species at all trophic levels, from biofilms to fish species but the concentration of road salt where adverse effects were observed varied and the effects themselves ranged from reductions in fecundity, size and shape to alterations to nutrient and energy flow at an ecosystem level and increased greenhouse gas emissions from contaminated wetlands and altered hydrology and oxygen, nitrogen and carbon level dynamics in lakes and streams. concentration at which road salt triggered an effect varied considerably. To read mroe about their findings, click the link above.
**This review study of the impacts of road salt on local ecosystems by Hintz and Relyea (2019), found that road salts negatively affect species at all trophic levels, from biofilms to fish species but the concentration of road salt where adverse effects were observed varied and the effects themselves ranged from reductions in fecundity, size and shape to alterations to nutrient and energy flow at an ecosystem level and increased greenhouse gas emissions from contaminated wetlands and altered hydrology and oxygen, nitrogen and carbon level dynamics in lakes and streams. concentration at which road salt triggered an effect varied considerably. To read mroe about their findings, click the link above.
*[https://www.hamilton.ca/sites/default/files/media/browser/2022-01-17/coh-salt-management-plan2021.pdf Hamilton Salt Management Plan]<ref>City of Hamilton. 2021. 2021 Salt Management Plan. https://www.hamilton.ca/sites/default/files/media/browser/2022-01-17/coh-salt-management-plan2021.pdf</ref>.
*[https://www.hamilton.ca/sites/default/files/media/browser/2022-01-17/coh-salt-management-plan2021.pdf Hamilton Salt Management Plan]<ref>City of Hamilton. 2021. 2021 Salt Management Plan. https://www.hamilton.ca/sites/default/files/media/browser/2022-01-17/coh-salt-management-plan2021.pdf</ref>.
**The City of Hamilton's 2021 Salt Management Plan is intended to set out a policy and procedural framework for ensuring that the Municipality continuously improves the management of road salt used in its winter maintenance operations. The plan is dynamic and allows the City to phase in new approaches and technologies in a way that is responsive to fiscal demands and the need to ensure that roadway safety is not compromised. To read more about the City's finalized plan that compares it's current practices to BMPs, opportunities for improvement and achievement metrics which can be replicated fore other Ontario municipalities click the link above.
**The City of Hamilton's 2021 Salt Management Plan is intended to set out a policy and procedural framework for ensuring that the Municipality continuously improves the management of road salt used in its winter maintenance operations. The plan is dynamic and allows the City to phase in new approaches and technologies in a way that is responsive to fiscal demands and the need to ensure that roadway safety is not compromised. To read more about the City's finalized plan that compares it's current practices to BMPs, opportunities for improvement and achievement metrics which can be replicated fore other Ontario municipalities click the link above.
==References==
==References==