What environmental issue can arise from using road salt for snow clearance?

The use of road salt for snow clearance primarily poses an environmental concern due to chloride runoff contaminating water sources. When road salt is applied to roadways, it dissolves into sodium and chloride ions. During precipitation or melting events, this salt can wash off the roads and enter nearby water bodies. High levels of chloride in freshwater systems can be detrimental to aquatic ecosystems. It can affect the salinity balance, harm fish and other aquatic organisms, disrupt their reproductive processes, and alter habitat viability. Additionally, elevated chloride levels can contaminate drinking water supplies, posing risks to human health and necessitating costly water treatment solutions.

Other concerns related to snow clearance, such as increased traffic accidents, rapid road degradation, and reductions in wildlife populations, are certainly valid issues but do not directly result from the environmental impact of road salt in the same manner as chloride runoff.