NYS Encourages People To Reduce Rock Salt Use Under ‘Don’t Be Salty, New York’ Campaign

Don’t Be Salty New York

“Don’t Be Salty, New York” is the name of a statewide campaign to encourage people to reduce their use of rock salt in order to protect the environment.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton said that while applying rock salt on roadways, parking lots, and sidewalks helps to ensure the safety of those traveling by vehicle or foot, overuse of salt can be costly for consumers, degrade infrastructure, contaminate runoff that enters streams and waterbodies, and impact drinking water.

To help protect water quality while maintaining public safety, the DEC launched the “Don’t Be Salty, New York” public awareness campaign to help educate property owners, managers, communities, and snow and ice removal professionals about the impacts of rock salt and the various strategies that can be implemented to reduce salt use. Consistent with a recommendation in the 2023 Adirondack Road Salt Reduction Task Force report, the DEC conducted a public survey in 2024 to better understand perceptions surrounding rock salt usage and make appropriate recommendations for reduction strategies to be applied throughout New York.

In addition to increasing public awareness, the DEC coordinates with colleagues at the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) and the New York State Department of Health to ensure New York’s salt reduction priorities are incorporated and considered within agency programs. State agencies collaborate to align the work of programs and coordinate outreach and mitigation efforts.

In August 2025, NYSDOT announced a statewide expansion of its road salt management pilot program for the 2025-26 snow and ice season. These efforts include but are not limited to enhanced training for snowplow operators, direct liquid applications in place of road salt, continuous evaluation of innovative equipment, and utilization of best management practices for reducing road salt. As a result, the statewide average application rate for granular salt was reduced to 172 pounds per lane-mile during the 2024-25 snow and ice season, down from the seven-year statewide average application rate of 194 pounds per-lane-mile.

The DEC says these are the best practices to save money, reduce rock salt pollution, and stay safe:

• Use Rock Salt Sparingly
  • Shovel first, if possible, to clear snow and ice before applying rock salt. The less snow and ice there is to melt, the less rock salt is needed;
  • Apply rock salt strategically. A 12-ounce cup full of rock salt is enough to treat 250 square feet, a 20-foot single car driveway, or approximately 10 standard sidewalk squares;
  • Apply rock salt only where it is needed most, such as walkways, driveways, and steps;
  • Use a spreader to evenly distribute salt. Avoid piling it in one area, as this can lead to more salt runoff.
• Monitor Weather Conditions
  • Rock salt loses effectiveness below 15°F. Sand can be used for traction on ice during a cold snap (and can be swept up in the spring for reusing) or switch to a deicer made for colder temperatures.
  • If a snow or ice storm is predicted, consider pre-treating surfaces with rock salt to prevent ice from forming.
• Consider Using Alternative Products
  • Consider making your own brine solution at home by combining 3.5 cups of rock salt per gallon of hot tap water and stirring until all salt is dissolved. Let any gravel settle to the bottom. Pour the brine into a regular garden sprayer and spray in a zig-zag pattern over desired area. Save extra brine to use later.
  • Use products from the GreenNY specifications listed on the DEC website.

Among the many impacts of rock salt overuse:

• Rock salt can run off into surface waters through snow melt and stormwater or leach into groundwater.
• Excessive rock salt in surface water can cause stress to, or kill, fish and other aquatic organisms.
• Rock salt washed off surfaces will accumulate in soils, which can kill vegetation or deplete plants of nutrients. Eventually, non-native salt-tolerant vegetation could move in and disrupt ecosystems.
• Salty roads attract animals like deer and moose (who love licking up the salt), increasing the probability of accidents and roadkill.
• The presence of sodium in drinking water is problematic for individuals with low-salt or limited-salt dietary restrictions. People on a sodium-restricted diet can experience health risks when exposed to elevated levels of sodium in their drinking water.
• Rock salt has corrosive properties that can corrode metals, including lead, copper, iron, and steel, from pipes and other infrastructure.
• These corrosive effects also impact cars, trucks, bridges, and roads resulting in approximately $5 billion dollars in annual repairs in the U.S. alone (USEPA)
• Households using private wells and small unregulated water systems are at the greatest risk of negative impacts from corrosion. Regulated public water systems sample for lead and copper and reduce corrosion if required.