UNDATED (WJON News) -- The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is asking everyone to do their part and help protect our freshwater sources from excessive salt.

The MPCA says salt is commonly over-applied, sending too much chloride into our lakes and streams.

Chloride is toxic to fish and other aquatic wildlife.

The MPCA says "less is more" is the best approach to protect lakes and streams. Officials estimate we scatter 445-thousand tons of salt across Minnesota each year, and once it is in a water ecosystem it stays there forever.

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Some tips for using less salt include shoveling and scraping more, sweeping up salt on dry surfaces, and don't salt when it is 15 degrees or colder because most salts stop working at those temperatures.

 

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