Evaluation of an Ice Ban Product as a Prewetting Agent for Snow Removal and Ice Control Operations

About the report:

The purpose of this project was to determine if the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) should use Ice Ban M50 for snow and ice control. Ice Ban M50 was evaluated for its effects on snow removal and ice control operations, the environment, and the highway infrastructure. The operational component consisted of a literature review. The environmental component consisted of tests conducted on roadside vegetation, turfgrass seed, and freshwater minnows. The highway infrastructure component consisted of tests conducted on concrete and metals. The researchers concluded that the cost and operational problems associated with using Ice Ban M50 as a prewetting agent exceeded those associated with using MgCl2 as a prewetting agent. VDOT should consider experimentation in which Ice Ban M50 is applied directly to pavements when temperatures are below 12 degrees C. Experimentation should proceed cautiously until additional research addresses concerns with product stability, mold, and other probable environmental issues.

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