Citizens and municipalities are increasingly navigating complicated territory when it comes to the go-to remedy for snowy conditions.

German citizens and municipalities are increasingly navigating complicated territory when it comes to the go-to remedy for snowy conditions — road salts.

As Basic Tutorials explains, as we learn more about the substance, it's becoming clear "road salt is harmful to plants, animals, soil and even infrastructure." Despite the growing evidence, the allure remains strong, with over 1.5 million tons of road salt ending up on German roads and paths annually.

There is no uniform ban on road salts, although there is a complete ban in Leipzig and frequent bans in large cities like Berlin and Munich, per Basic Tutorials. Some states only allow road salts to be used during extreme weather events. Municipal organizations, but rarely households, often receive exceptions for stairs or treacherous situations like black ice.

Breaking these bans is viewed as an administrative offense and can be met with a mere warning or fines of up to €10,000 ($10,500) for egregious violations. That's apt, considering the environmental and infrastructural carnage.

Basic Tutorials notes that road salts cause long-term damage to trees by dehydrating them, and the runoff into soil harms plant growth. Domestic and wild animals are also prone to harm, with the publication citing 16 animals in Paderborn, including 13 deer, that died after road salt exposure. In Canada, researchers linked road salts to the deaths of fertilized coho salmon eggs.

The road salts also go into groundwater, affecting the quality of water with higher chloride levels and even causing algal blooms. Road salts also damage vehicles, bridges, and roads, leading to expensive repairs.

For all these reasons, alternatives are coming to the fore.

Natural alternatives like sand and wood chips are better for the environment as long as they get properly cleaned up and reused. Another route is mineral gritting agents and granulates. One option, lava granules, is preferable for bike tires and animals. Expanded clay can be deployed to increase adhesion. Road salts should be used minimally to reduce runoff. Cleaning them up and disposing of them afterward is also a must.

Germany is far from the only part of the world trying to rein in road salt usage. Boston is regulating the runoff of road salts as part of a larger campaign. Meanwhile, researchers in Canada are proposing an innovative alternative called Borehole Thermal Energy Storage that leverages heat pumps and stored solar heat to literally heat roads from below.