EcoNotes: KSC Says “Bring on Winter”

From the KSC Sustainability Council:

Ice-Ban, a byproduct of the domestic brewing industry, is helping the grounds crew to keep our sidewalks and roadways clear of ice.

If you are out walking before an impending storm, you might notice Ice-Ban on sidewalks and roadways — a thin brown syrup reminiscent of molasses. It is applied prior to a storm to prevent snow and ice from freezing to the road surface. It is more sustainable than salt or sand for a number of reasons: The main ingredient is a manufacturing byproduct and not a virgin resource; it is less toxic to local plants, animals, and water sources; and it increases the life of snow removal equipment by reducing wear and corrosion.

The KSC Grounds Crew has built a snow melter to lower snow trucking costs to off-campus locations. Snow piles reduce parking spaces and visibility at vehicle and pedestrian intersections. Leasing a snow melter similar to those used at airports and in large cities would cost more than $18,000 per month, but the innovative staff in the Physical Plant drew up plans and fabricated a melter from scratch. The melted snow will be filtered before it enters storm drains, and discharge water temperatures in the KSC storm drains will be monitored for DES compliance. The snow melter should allow the College to rely less on outside trucking firms, have fewer vehicles idling, and reduce truck traffic on campus.