With Spring just around the corner, municipalities are gearing up for their annual spring cleanup. Months of salt, sand and brine lay on the road surfaces causing not only deterioration to the pavement but also damage to the environment.  Cities across the country use over 20 million tons of sodium chloride & chlorine every year on highways and local streets. While this helps our cars from slipping and sliding when the snow falls, what does it do to our streets and the water we drink?  Salt residue on the roadways either goes down the storm drains, making their way into our lakes and streams or seeps into the ground affecting our groundwater supplies. This is not only a problem for our drinking water but also to the aquatic plant life and animals that rely on our water systems for survival.  Salt also affects our soil and trees.  When salt is spread, it can travel over 600 feet killing trees, eroding soil and destroying vegetation.

Not only is salt removal from our roadways important environmentally, it is also crucial for the longevity of our streets & roadways.  Street sweeping is the best way to minimize the runoff to storm drains and helps the environment, but also preserves our pavement. Sodium chloride and chlorine are very corrosive chemicals and helps in the creation of potholes and pavement deterioration if not taken care of. Having a comprehensive street sweeping plan is necessary to combat these effects.  Contact a 1-800-SWEEPER partner to set up your street cleaning plan this Spring. Visit www.1800sweeper.com or call 1-800- SWEEPER (797-3737).