De-Icer has organic, environmentally friendly formulation.
December 13, 2007 -
Ice B'Gone® is dark brown, sweet-smelling liquid with molasses-like texture and viscosity that can be mixed with rock salt or applied directly to roadway. Containing low molecular weight carbohydrates (LMWCs), it works down to -30°F and has high concentration of solids that help hold salt to road. It helps reduce corrosion on equipment, roadways, and bridges and contains no algae-forming phosphorus.
(Archive News Story - Products mentioned in this Archive News Story may or may not be available from the manufacturer.)
Rome, N.Y. Company Enjoying Sweet Smell of Success with Environmentally-Friendly De-Icing Product
ROME, N.Y., Dec. 6 // -- Who would have thought that the solution to melt ice and snow on winter roadways could be discovered by combining two common household items found on the kitchen table or in the cupboard: salt treated with sugar.
Sears Ecological Applications Company (SEACO), a Rome, NY-based company that specializes in de-icing technology, that's who.
After a decade of exhaustive research and testing, SEACO has developed a patented formulation called Ice B'Gone(R) that is not only revolutionizing the way roadways are kept clear and safe during cold winter months, but also paving the way toward a greener environment.
Company officials are certain that the growing popularity and inevitable public acceptance of the global green movement, along with a groundswell of support from environmental groups, will open people's eyes to the importance of using alternative de-icing technologies. This is especially true when these new technologies have the added benefit of working far more effectively than traditional de-icing products and methods.
"It's one thing to talk about being 'green' and another to actually do something about it," explained Howard P. Sears, Jr., company principal. "We believe that in order to be a viable part of the green movement, every individual and business has a responsibility to think globally and act locally when it comes to preserving and protecting the environment. We chose to be forward-thinking and use our intelligence, experience, knowledge and vision to develop a truly unique product that is both effective and consistent with current green initiatives."
SEACO's Ice B'Gone(R) is a dark brown, sweet-smelling liquid with a molasses-like texture and viscosity that is either mixed with rock salt or applied directly to the roadway. The product contains low molecular weight carbohydrates (LMWCs), which in the simplest terms are sugars such as molasses, high fructose corn syrup, or distillers and brewers byproducts. There are no dangerous chemicals or harmful ingredients with unpronounceable names and unknown side effects; just organic-based, non-toxic, agricultural products that have been carefully selected and refined so they don't harm the environment. They work far more effectively than untreated salts, greatly reduce corrosion on equipment, roadways and bridges, reduce traffic-related injuries and fatalities, and save money while doing it.
Certainly, rock salt applied to roadways and walkways as a de-icer isn't exactly new. It has been in use for the past 70 years or so. But it also has been found to have its limitations in terms of effectiveness and in the harmful impacts it wreaks on the environment. Interestingly, it's the addition of sugar to the salt that makes this product so sweet: for those whose priority is environmental stewardship, for those who have the fiscal and physical responsibility of keeping roadways clear and ice-free in the wintertime, and for travelers themselves.
The concept behind Ice B'Gone(R) is brilliant in its simplicity. SEACO's chemists discovered that LMWCs, or sugars, when mixed with a chloride salt, causes extraordinary freeze point and corrosion reduction. Road salts only work down to a temperature of 18 degrees F, but when combined with sugars, they work to far lower temperatures, down to minus 30 degrees F. The combination of the two ingredients creates a synergistic effect that makes salt work longer and therefore more effectively, significantly reducing the amount of salt that's used and eliminating the need for polluting de-icing materials such as sand and cinders.
"Traditional de-icing products like pure rock salt and salt treated with brine are not nearly as effective, especially in colder temps," explained David Wood, president of SEACO. "They're used primarily because they're the least expensive. But when you factor in all of the cost savings associated with our product, it's clear that Ice B'Gone(R) provides both superior economy and value, not to mention important environmental, health and safety benefits that other products on the market simply can't offer."
Wood explained that the cost savings result from the product's high level of working effectiveness and the significant reduction it causes in the corrosivity of untreated salt. Reduced corrosion, anywhere from 60-80%, saves money on bridge, roadway and equipment maintenance and repair. And because the product works so effectively, fewer applications are required. That translates to fewer trips, which means less fuel consumption, less wear and tear on expensive vehicles and lower labor costs due to less overtime without compromising service levels.
Cost savings are also realized through significantly reduced salt use -- in many cases up to 30% -- lowering the amounts of salt and sand that must be purchased. Since many sands contain phosphorus, eliminating that need also reduces the potential for algae-forming phosphorus to enter water supplies. There is a further cost savings associated with less roadway cleanup of these materials.
From an environmental perspective, untreated salts and brines have indeed become foes of the burgeoning green movement. Because up to one-third less salt is used, the chloride levels found in runoff to watersheds are greatly reduced, resulting in improved water quality and dramatically lessened impacts on wildlife and habitat. In addition, the levels of biological oxygen demand (BOD), which is a measurement of the oxygen required as organic materials break down, are extremely low. The phosphorous levels found in LMWCs are also well-below acceptable state limits, earning the product a seal of approval for use in watershed areas. Additionally, the less rock salt that's used, the less leaching there is into soil and groundwater while in storage.
There are obvious public health and safety benefits as well. The product has a high concentration of solids that give it viscosity and stickiness, which better holds the salt to the road. That, along with the longer working times of treated salts, means less re-freezing and much safer roadways resulting in fewer traffic accidents and fatalities. Again, with its organic composition, water quality impacts are drastically reduced and there is less clean up of residual salt and sand. Equally important, airborne particulate conditions associated with salt and sand, and which heavily impact air quality, are substantially reduced.
The product is not yet widely available to consumers for home or business use, but generally only to rock salt distributors, highway and public works departments, and state procurement agencies that buy rock salt in huge quantities. While acknowledging that the product has many meritorious benefits, all of which have been validated by extensive testing and are well- supported by sound science, some of those responsible for purchasing de-icing materials continue to look purely at purchase price rather than overall product effectiveness and long-term cost savings.
"We're trying to change that mindset by educating elected officials and key decision-makers about the product's immense value, but it has indeed been a challenge," Wood said. "Several New England and Mid-Atlantic states as well as interstate highway systems have already embraced our product and are seeing that it's safe, reliable, consistent and cost-effective. There's absolutely no downside to it."
"We want other cold weather states, and particularly New York State, to see the tremendous multiple advantages this product has and the widespread benefits it brings to highway maintenance departments, the motoring public, and all taxpayers," Wood continued. "And once they see how it can make everyone's life easier, they're going to wish they had gone this route sooner."
Sears Ecological Applications Company (SEACO), located in Rome, NY, manufactures, processes and refines an organic, environmentally friendly, agriculture-based product designed for use as a liquid road de-icer. For additional information, please call 888-847-3226 or visit www.icebgone.com.
Public Relations:
Paige Marketing Communications Group
Richard M. Barrett
USA
Phone: 315-733-2313 E-mail this person Company Information: Name: Sears Ecological Applications Company, LLC Address: 1914 Black River Blvd. City: Rome State: NY ZIP: 13440 Country: USA Phone: 888-847-3226 http://www.icebgone.com
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