AAPS Snow and Ice Melt Alternative

Winter 2008

Due to the rising cost of salt its environmental impact the district has been exploring other alternatives to snow and ice melt on the school sidewalks.

AAPS will be using a new material called GeoMelt on the sidewalks. This product is a 70 percent Chloride Brine and 30 percent Beet juice.

GeoMelt is pre-applied to the walks and it will leave a brownish color coating to the walk. This product does not track into the building like salt.  It is an organic material and is water soluble.  It does not stain and is safe to use around children.  It should not kill the grass like salt does.

The product will leave a brownish coating on the sidewalks but is not harmful or and will not tracked in on shoes and boots.

On the driveways and parking lots AAPS will always use sand with salt but this year we will be trying chloride treated sand to see if it works better at lower temperatures than salt and lasts longer than salt.

We will still use salt and sand in the parking lots and have salt at the buildings to use for any missed or tough areas.