Safe Winter Roads. Clean Water.
We can have both.
Salt Responsibly.
New Hampshire’s freshwater lakes, streams and groundwater are becoming saltier each year. The leading cause is the 400,000 tons of road salt applied every winter to our Interstates, state highways, town roads and other surfaces. Salt is toxic to aquatic life and plants, it corrodes bridges and vehicles, and when it accumulates in drinking water it jeopardizes human health.
Green Mountain Conservation Group launched the Salt Responsibly campaign in January 2022 to inform New Hampshire residents about the harm caused by road salts and to provide guidance on ways to reduce the amount of salt that is contaminating New Hampshire’s waterways and water supply.
The Salt Responsibly campaign is not about casting blame. We recognize that safety is the first priority of those responsible for winter road maintenance, and until the day that practical alternatives are widely available, road salt use will continue. What we seek is a broader public understanding of the problem and to inspire everyone to make changes that will reduce the amount of salt that is damaging our environment, threatening our health, and hurting our economy.
