DoD Sustainable Products Center

Before these Safer Choice certified products are utilized by the Military Departments and DoD Components, their performance must be proven to meet government requirements and end user needs. The candidate sustainable solid deicers were utilized on facility hardscapes at DoD installations. The demonstration validated the performance of these Safer Choice certified deicers and facilitated awareness of sustainable alternatives to standard sodium chloride rock salt.

Technology Description

Deicers are applied to exterior surfaces to prevent or remove accumulated snow and ice by lowering the freezing point of water and are used at every DoD installation subject to ice or snow accumulation. To mitigate the safety risks posed by such accumulation, traditional deicing practices have utilized sodium chloride rock salt, the components of which present additional hazards to the environment and infrastructure. The use of Safer Choice certified deicers mitigates these risks by utilizing products verified to meet the EPA’s safer ingredient screening, reduce sodium and chloride use by at least 30 percent compared to sodium chloride rock salt, not contain cyanide compounds (used for anti-caking in some rock salt products), function at temperatures of 0° Fahrenheit, and comply with the Pacific Northwest Snow Fighters’ criteria for reduction in corrosivity to steel (at least 70 percent less than rock salt) and overall performance. These products utilize sodium chloride alternatives such as calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, and calcium magnesium acetate to achieve lower effective temperatures, higher melting efficiency, and greater residual deicing effect.

Demonstration Products*

The demonstration deicers are EPA Safer Choice certified and offer a drop in alternative to standard sodium chloride rock salt. Table 1 lists the demonstration products and manufacturers.

Table 1: Sustainable Solid Deicer Products

Manufacturer	Demonstration Products
Premiere Ice Melter	CP Industries
Premiere Pro Ice Melter/ Superior Sno-N-Ice Melter	CP Industries
Safe Step Mag Chloride 8300	Compass Minerals
Safe Step 6300 Enviro-Blend	Compass Minerals
Safe Step Sure Paws	Compass Minerals
Ecos Ice Melt	Earth Friendly Products

* Mention of or referral to commercial products, services, and manufacturers herein is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute endorsement by, nor the official policy or position of, the Department of Defense (DoD), any of its Components, or the U.S. Government.

Demonstration Sites

Field demonstrations of these products were performed by facility managers at the following DoD installations to evaluate their performance in Military operational environments and to raise awareness of Safer Choice certified product availability:

• Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (AFB)
• Hill AFB
• Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center
• Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM)

Sites included sidewalks, steps, stairs, entry ramps, entry ways, and other building-related hardscapes at administrative, maintenance, logistics, medical, and services/commercial facilities. In addition, historical use data was collected from Eielson AFB and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, where Safer Choice certified deicers have been used for several years.

Demonstration Details

The demonstration plan outlined the demonstration activities that would be performed, provided an overview of the sites, summarized the selected facilities, and identified their requirements, the key performance criteria, and the products to be evaluated. Additionally, the plan noted the data to be collected, methods of analysis, and the roles and responsibilities of demonstration participants and stakeholders.

Table 2 contains the key performance criteria that the DoD stakeholders established to evaluate and validate that these deicers met the participants’ requirements.

Table 2: Demonstration Performance Criteria

Criteria	Parameters
Maintaining Snow/Ice-Free Hardscapes	Ability to break ice bonds Traction Performance in cold temperatures
Melting Efficiency	Melt Time Use quantity
Environmental, Health, and Infrastructure Impacts	Environmental Impacts Health Impacts Infrastructure Impacts

Collected data included user feedback regarding the following:

• Occurrence of refreeze, repeated freeze/thaw, and/or partial melt
• Melt time and quantity applied
• Product migration and tracking
• Effectiveness in breaking ice bonds
• Performance in different sun and wind exposure scenarios
• Performance in lower temperatures (above the manufacturer’s stated melt point)
• Traction
• Negative impacts to vegetation, wildlife, water quality, and concrete or metal infrastructure
• Irritation to skin, eyes, or respiratory system

Demonstration Results

All demonstration sites received some snow and/or ice during the demonstration period and were therefore able to provide feedback. Although sites in the Western United States received less than normal precipitation during the winter of 2021-2022, sites at Wright-Patterson AFB received significant snowfall and the data collected from the two Alaska installations pertained to substantial snowfall over the preceding years.

Installation personnel were provided a supply of Safer Choice certified deicers and asked to provide product performance feedback based on the criteria and data points noted above. Overall, facility managers found the sustainable solid deicers to meet the identified performance requirements with no reported facility safety or maintenance issues. The performance of the sustainable solid deicers was comparable to or better than the baseline packaged deicer products used at the facilities. Analysis of demonstration feedback resulted in the following findings:

• One location stated that the demonstration product overall performed better than their baseline product. The remainder characterized overall performance as being as good as their baseline deicer product. No location indicated that overall performance was worse than that of their baseline product.
• All sites indicated the demonstration deicers were effective at breaking ice bonds and thus melting snow and ice, both when used for deicing and anti-icing.
• No respondent indicated that wind exposure impacted demonstration deicer performance, though some wind-exposed sites indicated refreeze or repeated freeze/thaw that could have been impacted by cold winds. Forty percent of demonstration sites, and eighty percent of the Alaska sites with exposure variability, indicated that sun exposure enhanced deicer performance by hastening melting, similar to other deicers. One location noted that the deicer performance declined at lower temperatures and that this may have been impacted by the weather remaining cloudy throughout the evaluation period. Results were dependent on site exposure characteristics and did not vary by application.
• Maximum low temperatures at the demonstration sites during product evaluation ranged from -11°F to 17°F, which were within the stated operative range for the respective demonstration deicers. Only one site indicated that deicer performance declined as temperatures lowered but indicated that this may have been influenced by the weather remaining cloudy throughout. In addition, performance may have been impacted by wind exposure or dilution in melt water.
• Historical use data from half of the Alaska sites indicated that product performance decreased at low temperatures, but in each case the decline came as temperatures surpassed the lowest operative temperature for the demonstration deicer (with lows reaching -38°F to -50°F). However, each of these sites indicated that the deicer remained effective but that melt time was extended or additional application of product was required.
• In each application (sidewalks, stairs, steps, entrance ramps, entry ways, and landings/platforms), the demonstration deicer products were evaluated to be effective at maintaining desired traction. One of the Alaska locations noted that low temperatures sometimes required repeat application of product to achieve desired traction levels.
• Forty percent of demonstration sites experienced refreeze and one site experienced repeated freeze/thaw within in the operative temperature ranges of the respective deicers. Based on site layouts and reported weather and snow removal practice, these occurrences were likely due to impacts from wind/sun exposure. weather, and failure to remove excess snow prior to application. All sites, however, indicated that the deicers remained effective in their performance. The most occurrences of refreeze and repeated freeze/thaw, and the only reports of partial melt, occurred at Alaska sites. Yet only one site reported experiencing refreeze, repeated freeze/thaw, and partial melt at temperatures within the product’s stated operative range. This may be due to site-specific considerations and was anomalous to the general findings.
• Over sixty percent of the demonstration sites that could compare melt time to a known baseline product stated that the time required for the demonstration deicers to melt snow and ice was comparable to that of their baseline product. One site noted that the demonstration product’s melt time might be slightly less than that of the baseline, which is chemically similar to the demonstration product. Two sites noted that the melt time required for the demonstration products was less than that of the baseline product (a magnesium chloride/sodium chloride blend). None of the Alaska sites could compare melt time to that of a baseline product since they all have only used a Safer Choice certified deicer for as long as they have been at the location.
• Half of the demonstration sites that could compare use quantity to that of a known baseline product reported using a similar amount. This is most likely due to habit and may have resulted in application of more product than was required. This is supported by the observation of remaining product at some sites following complete snow and ice melt. Three locations at MCMWTC and one at Wright-Patterson AFB reported using less of the demonstration deicer products, ranging from a 25% to 50% reduction in material use. Unfortunately, snow totals at most locations were not sufficient to allow for prolonged use to determine the most efficient amount. None of the Alaska locations could compare use amount to that of a baseline product since they all have only used a Safer Choice certified deicer during their time at the site.
• None of the sites indicated any observed vegetation, wildlife, or water quality impacts from use of the demonstration products, nor was any product migration into untreated areas observed. Given the short demonstration period, only acute impacts could be assessed. While it is likely that the demonstration products yield fewer negative impacts than some other deicer products over a period of long-term use, this was not possible to assess within the shorter demonstration period.
• None of the reporting locations indicated any observed skin, eye, or respiratory impacts from use of the demonstration deicer products.
• None of the sites indicated any observed metal or concrete infrastructure impacts from use of the demonstration deicer products. Almost eighty percent indicated that the demonstration product granules were tracked into buildings and/or vehicles. None reported any resulting damage. One site reported fifty percent less tracking, which corresponded with their fifty percent reduction in product use.
• Costs for the baseline products as applied were from $0.018 to $0.13 per square yard in 40- or 50-pound containers and $0.18 per square yard in smaller shaker jugs. Costs for the demonstration products as applied were similar, ranging from $0.005 to $0.07 per square yard in 40- and 50-pound containers and from $0.12 to $0.68 per square yard in smaller shaker jugs. Demonstration products are therefore cost effective in a head-to-head comparison with demonstration products and generally available at similar market rates.

Of the four demonstration sites, only Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center received significant snowfall over the winter of 2022-2023. Deicers continued to perform well in the heavier snow conditions despite temperatures down to as low as -30°F.

Certified Products

Safer Choice certified deicers are listed at https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice/products and available from FedMall, GSA Advantage, and commercial vendors.