08 November 1, 2008 - ObserverXtra

16 | BUSINESS
The Observer | Saturday, November 01, 2008
Taking a low-salt diet on the road
Like many of us, the region wants to reduce its sodium intake as snow and ice season approaches
MARC MIQUEL HELSEN
Waterloo Region’s plan
to reduce road salt and
its negative impact on
groundwater is expected
to bear fruit moving into
this winter season.
Introduced earlier this
year, the Smart About Salt
initiative aims to educate
businesses and organizations
about the harmful
effects of excess road salt
on natural ecosystems
and water sources. It also
helps them implement alternatives.
While municipalities
throughout the region
have, over the years,
worked together to reduce
the amount of salt
used for de-icing without
diminishing road safety,
the new program targets
other salt users, especially
contractors and facility
owners in charge of keeping
parking lots and sidewalks
clear of snow and
ice. The region estimates
40 per cent of salt applications
come from parking
lots and sidewalks.
The first step of the
program requires registration,
collection of
information relevant to
that site or operation, followed
by an information
session. Participants also
receive worksheets and
tools that will help them
reduce their salt usage.
Once they can indicate
PUBLIC HEALTH
READY TO ROLL Woolwich’s Kieran Kelly and the other members of the works department are preparing for another season, readying the township’s
eight salt trucks. This winter, the salters will use a salt-sand mix that contains six to 20 per cent salt.
that self assessments
have been made, staff
has been trained and that
they are properly tracking
salt usage, they may
they obtain certification.
Since the program’s
launch in January, five
contractors have completed
their certification.
Elmira’s Chemtura Co.
is currently working toward
that objective.
The Smart About Salt
program is also receiving
crucial support from
the insurance sector.
Since fear of liability
is a driving force for the
over-usage of road salt,
bringing insurance companies
on board is particularly
relevant, say
organizers.
“Through our discussions
with the insurance
companies, they’ve
come to understand that
[overuse of salt] isn’t
necessarily the best way
to deal with those safety
hazards,” said Leanne
Lobe, supervisor of the
source water protection
program at the region.
“I think the insurance
companies actually are
going to play a part of the
PROTECT YOURSELF, PROTECT YOUR FAMILY,
GET THE INFLUENZA VACCINE!
2008-2009 COMMUNITY INFLUENZA CLINIC SCHEDULE
COMMUNITY DATE TIME LOCATION ADDRESS
solution.”
Indeed, some of those
companies are promoting
the program; they
might even make it a requirement
someday, Lobe
suggested.
Though Smart About
Salt targets area businesses,
that’s not to say that
municipalities – which in
many cases are already in
regular contact with the
region concerning salt
reduction – are excluded
from the program.
In fact, municipalities
can get on board with the
program by certifying
Kitchener 4-Nov-08 2:00 pm - 8:00 pm Stanley Park Community Centre
505 Franklin St. N., (off Ottawa) Kitchener
Cambridge 5-Nov-08 2:00 pm - 8:00 pm Jacob Hespeler Secondary School (cafetorium)
355 Holiday Inn Dr., Cambridge
Waterloo 6-Nov-08 2:00 pm - 8:00 pm Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex - Hauser Haus 101 Father David Bauer Dr., Waterloo
Kitchener 10-Nov-08 2:00 pm - 8:00 pm Huron Heights Secondary School (cafeteria)
1825 Strasburg Rd., Kitchener
Waterloo 12-Nov-08 2:00 pm - 8:00 pm Bluevale Collegiate Institute (cafeteria)
80 Bluevale St. North, Waterloo
Cambridge 13-Nov-08 2:00 pm - 8:00 pm Southwood Secondary School (cafeteria)
30 Southwood Dr., Cambridge
Kitchener 18-Nov-08 2:00 pm - 8:00 pm St. Louis Adult Learning Centre
80 Young St., (off Weber) Kitchener
New Hamburg 19-Nov-08 2:00 pm - 8:00 pm Wilmot Recreation Complex (Community Hall)
1291 Nafziger Rd., New Hamburg
Elmira 20-Nov-08 2:00 pm - 8:00 pm Elmira District Secondary School (cafeteria)
4 University Ave. W., Elmira
Cambridge 24-Nov-08 2:00 pm - 8:00 pm Preston High School (small gym)
550 Rose Avenue, Cambridge
Kitchener 25-Nov-08 2:00 pm - 8:00 pm Victoria Hills Community Centre
10 Chopin Dr., Kitchener
Waterloo 1-Dec-08 2:00 pm - 8:00 pm Sir John A. MacDonald High School (cafeteria)
65 Laurelwood Dr., Waterloo
Waterloo 5-Jan-09 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm Region of Waterloo Public Health - Waterloo - Rm 508 99 Regina St. S., 5th floor, Waterloo
Cambridge 6-Jan-09 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm Region of Waterloo Public Health - Cambridge - Board Rm 170 150 Main St., Cambridge,
Getting the influenza vaccine can help you
and your family stay healthy!
For more information: www.region.waterloo.on.ca/ph
specific sites belonging to
their own departments.
As corporate entities,
municipalities can certify
individual sites, as is
the case with the regional
landfill; social housing is
also looking to change its
tender process to incorporate
sounder salt practices,
said Lobe.
“Social housing … they
have used the Smart About
Salt registration as one of
the criteria to evaluate
proposals to maintain the
sites,” she said, noting
that the program works
on a site-by-site basis.
PERSONAL
• Auto
• Motorcycle
• Boat/Watercraft
• Home
• Tenants
• Condo’s
• Home Based
Business
COMMERCIAL
• Property
• Auto (Fleet)
• Liability
• Farm
PROUD TO BE A PARTNER WITH
PHOTO | MARC MIQUEL HELSEN
ESTABLISHED 1925
Though just new, the
Smart About Salt program
is already gaining
interest beyond the region’s
limits; within the
next year it will likely
be licensed to other associations
throughout the
province.
“It’s filling a void; there
are no other programs
currently out there for
this sector within Canada,”
said Lobe.
Although road salt is an
effective de-icing material
that is used across
the country, the effects of
too much sodium on the
environment are severe:
burning trees, suffocating
vegetation, contaminating
soil and water
bodies.
In 2001, the federal government
suggested that
road salt be placed on a
schedule of toxic substances
under the Canadian
Environmental
Protection Act. But harsh
winters, like the one visited
upon the region last
year, require that roads be
cleared for safe driving;
while a number of alternative
de-icing chemicals
exist, the cost of road salt
makes it the most popular
such material across
much of North America.
Some five million tonnes
are dumped on Canadian
roads every year. Ontario
accounts for some two
million tonnes of that to-
See SALT »19
C.H. SOEHNER
INSURANCE
50 ARTHUR ST. S • ELMIRA, ONTARIO
LTD.
TEL 519-669-1661
soehner@soehnerinsurance.com
www.soehnerinsurance.com