A rain storm turned to ice when temperatures plunged on Saturday. It was minimal, and no mishaps were reported… unless you include hazardous overdoses of rock salt spread everywhere.
by David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
Gold Flipped for Rock Salt
There was a time when New York City lured immigrants with tales about streets paved in gold. It wasn’t true, of course, but it was symbolic. Similarly, Roosevelt Island’s attraction was its quiet, natural beauty, its calm, peaceful streets with strict limitations on cars and trucks. These days, that’s gone too, the Island upended by cars and streets paved in dissolved rock salt.
Deicing the roads, then the hell with the aftermath
Rock salt is a type of road salt used to deice roads during winter weather. It is made up of sodium chloride, a naturally occurring mineral. When rock salt is used for deicing roads, it dissolves in the water on the road and forms a brine. The brine then lowers the freezing point of the water on the road, which prevents ice from forming.
The environmental impact of rock salt on roads depends on how it is used and disposed of. Rock salt can run off into nearby waterways, polluting the water. It also damages vegetation that comes into contact with it. If rock salt is not disposed of properly, it contaminates soil and groundwater.
How do you properly dispose of rock salt?
Proper disposal of rock salt includes using it following the manufacturer’s instructions and following local ordinances. It should be swept up and disposed of in a landfill or by incineration. If sweeping up the salt it is not possible, it can be plowed into the ground. Rock salt should not be dumped into waterways or on vegetation.
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- Queens chain-snatching spree prompts multi-precinct responseA chain-snatching spree in Queens has sparked coordinated police action and renewed conversations about neighborhood safety. Learn what steps you can take.
- 140 Rentals Proposed for Mixed-Use Building at 50-01 Queens BoulevardA 13-story mixed-use development is planned for 50-01 Queens Boulevard in Woodside, featuring ground-floor retail and 140 rental units, with a portion reserved as affordable housing. Learn about the proposal, affordable housing details, and the next steps for this evolving Queens neighborhood.
The Line That Didn’t Land
I stood in the back of Good Shepherd Chapel on the evening of April 15, 2026, at the Steam Plant Demolition Town Hall, watching people adjust scarves and jackets before the meeting began. Benjamin Jones, President and CEO of RIOC, thanked us for attending and, without a pause, said he was “pleased to host tonight’s town hall on the city’s demolition of its steam plant.” The demolition, in other words, was not up for discussion.
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