While this letter is geared towards Colorado. If you live in other states where MAG is used, please feel free to modify and send this letter to your DOT.


To Whom It May Concern:

As a resident of Colorado, I have researched the issues regarding the use of Magnesium Chloride (Mag) on the streets to assist in snow & ice removal. While the INITIAL research showed Magnesium Chloride to be less corrosive and aid in the removal of snow & ice, it has proved otherwise. Numerous studies and reports show that Magnesium Chloride is MORE corrosive than previously thought.

In 2001, the USDA published an article entitled "Magnesium Chloride as a De-Icing Agent" that stated magnesium chloride led to "corrosion of steel and aluminum poles and pole hardware." Also, a February 2003 Board of Montana Flathead County Commissioners minutes document called "Magnesium Chloride on Roads" on Corrosion-Doctors.org attests to magnesium chloride's corrosiveness on aluminum and steel. In a corrosion comparison done by Colorado D.O.T. and the University of Colorado, it was found that "road salt is more corrosive to the metals than mag chloride on a one time exposure." However, magnesium chloride corrodes over longer periods of time and Greg Fulton, president of the Colorado Motor Carriers Association, said it corroded aluminum on his vehicles as well as led to wiring & brake failure!

The January 3, 2007 article in the Summit Daily News titled 'Does magnesium chloride corrode car components?' by J.K. PERRY -Eagle County correspondent, shows that indeed magnesium chloride does corrode car components. Not only does it corrode car components at alarming rates but the substance begins to corrode components essential to safe operation of vehicles, such as brakes, and electrical systems. This has been proven and currently motions are underway to bring this evidence to the state of Colorado.

There are three cooperatives in Colorado that have seen an increase in outages and pole top fires that have been attributed to insulators becoming coated with magnesium chloride. The insulators become coated as vehicle traffic churns up the magnesium chloride into a fine mist that rises and settles on the pole hardware and insulators. As the solution builds up on the insulators the probability of tracking and arcing increases.

In the March 23, 2001, issue of Electric Co-op Today, Jerry Lipson's article "New Winter Road Salt 'Burns' Colorado Co-op Lines" addresses this issue. In an effort to determine whether other cooperatives are experiencing similar problems, RUS asks borrowers to let RUS know whether they have any evidence of increased outages or pole fires in proximity to highways in areas where magnesium chloride is used.

A concern still remains on its reaction with aluminum and galvanized steel poles, metal hardware and conductors. There has been some feedback from truckers stating that aluminum components and electrical systems in their vehicles are showing an increased corrosion rate. These are facts that cannot be ignored any longer.

I am asking that you cease using magnesium chloride or any of its similar compounds immediately. Not only has magnesium chloride been found to be very corrosive but it also attacks plastics and rubbers. This then relates to vehicle electrical wiring failures and brake failures as both systems utilize plastic and rubber components. The result of magnesium chloride on vehicles will result in serious accidents involving cars as components corrode and fail due to its use.

In order to avoid million dollar lawsuits being filed against the state of Colorado for its use of magnesium chloride and its salt based compounds. I am asking that the state of Colorado to consider reverting back to the environmentally & vehicle friendly method of plowing and sprinkling cinder or sand & enforcing the use of snow tires.

While this venture to introduce magnesium chloride was first initially thought to be a better alternative than calcium or sodium chloride, the data shows otherwise. Whether the state of Colorado has vested interests in EnviroTech Services, a Greeley-based company, is unknown at this time. Ceasing to use magnesium chloride and its similar compounds will prevent lawsuits from being filed by people whose vehicles suffered detrimental damage caused by its use.

Thank you

 

Another Good reason to live in the great state of "Central" Texas!!!

 

Crap..... Is that the stuff that looks like broken glass? If so then I'm gonna wash my truck tomorrow (again). I know that road salt only starts corroding stuff once the temps get above 40 degrees, but it sounds like this stuff doesn't matter how cold it is! My dad is the town chairman so I can convince him not to use that stuff anymore (salt is cheaper anyways).

 

I second that!!!!!!!!

 

Yeah, there you only have to worry about a tornado picking up your mobile home and dropping in on your truck.

 

That sucks!!! I my family back to Denver in June and I am going to follow in a couple months later. I will sending a letter to the DOT. Thanks for the heads up!!!!

 

Thanks for the info.
Makes me appreciate the fact that the only things I have to worry about is illegals and earthquakes.

 

I do not agree that salt only eats metal above 40 degrees . Bellow 40 only slows the process very slightly. Below zero now that puts the brakes on better but the stuff never stops and if you don't get it off it attracts moisture and really eats i would rather deal with the snow!
That is why i drive a sacrifical vehicle (a ferd ) when their is salt out not my cummins trucks.

Yes for sure get those letters out nothing like spending 40-50k on a vehicle and then paying road tax for them to spread vehicle EATER on the roads for you to end up with a junker about 5 or 6 years later!

 

w00t lets her it for Pflugerville!

 

Mag is used alot on roads as dust control. It kills all vegatation too.

 

Bump

Just wanted to make sure that as many people who are mad about their trucks rusting and having electrical failures, notify the CDOT!

 

My friends on the Western Slopes have been complaining about that stuff for several years now. The few times I have driven in it, the truck got a GOOD $15/$20 top-to-bottom wash job as soon as I got back to clean roads.

 

I'll trade you my hurricanes for your earthquakes, straight up ------you can keep the illegal meskins---we have enough here.

 

I'll be sending this to my elected reps and CDOT. I always thought this stuff was bad, just another good reason to park the truck when the roads are bad and drive something else

 

It's hard to own a Ram Truck 4x4 and then park it when the snow comes. That is what those trucks were built to do! They got ground clearance, stick it in 4 HI, get some good snow tires, and the truck will pretty much drive through any snow-storm.

Unfortunately, this MAG stuff is nasty and watching your truck rust away is not fun either

I believe MAG helps keep accidents down BUT so would snow tires, slowing down, snow plowing and throwing down sand. There are ways to be safe without spraying a chemical that corrodes vehicles and attacks electrical systems.

People just do NOT want to slow down when it snows. They have no common sense. They keep driving 70MPH in the snow.