Recently, there was a report about a snow storm headed our way. My son noticed, that there were white lines on one of the parkways that we had been traveling on and wondered, why they were there. I'm sure my son is not alone in his wonderment about those white lines on the road.
What is liquid magnesium chloride?
There are a number of states throughout the country that are trying to phase out the use of rock salt and sand on roadways and are opting instead for the use of the more cost-effective liquid magnesium chloride as a road de-icer or anti-icer. The liquid magnesium chloride is sprayed on dry pavement prior to precipitation, or wet pavement prior to freezing temperatures during the winter to prevent snow and ice from firmly sticking to the roadway. The use of this safety measure has been shown to be effective by improving driving conditions during and after freezing temperatures.
Is it safe? Why not sand?
Well, liquid magnesium chloride is certainly less toxic than baking soda or salt. It is also not hazardous to plant life and is less corrosive to concrete and steel. The solution is however corrosive to some metal parts, plastic, rubber and especially chrome. It has been known to eat through wires, nuts, bolts and even brake shoes and rotors in some cases.
Sand on the other hand tends to cause cracks to your car's windshield and chips in your vehicle's paint job. Sand can be disintegrated by traffic to an even finer, powdered dust that can become airborne and contribute to air pollution. It can also get blown off the roadways very easily and highway crews will oftentimes find themselves reapplying it.
How to protect your vehicle?
If you drive on roads that are sprayed with magnesium chloride, it can mix with dirt, slush or water and splash up onto your vehicle. A white filmy coating will appear on your car over time that should get washed off regularly. If the liquid magnesium chloride substance is left too long on your vehicle's exterior chrome accents, it will begin to eat through and leave unsightly damages.
--Car Chick
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