Balancing Winter Transportation Safety Needs and Environmental Priorities: The Canadian Experience

1. Balancing Winter Transportation Safety Needs and Environmental Priorities: The Canadian Experience Panelists: Sandi Moser, Environment Canada; Sarah Wells, Transportation Association of Canada; Shael Gwartz, Ontario Ministry of Transportation; Gary Welsh, City of Toronto; Dick Hanneman, Salt Institute; moderator: Wilf Nixon, University of Iowa

2. Today’s Presentation • Organization Perspectives • Sandi Moser, Environment Canada • Sarah Wells, Transportation Association of Canada • Shael Gwartz, Ontario Ministry of Transportation • Gary Welsh, City of Toronto • Dick Hanneman, Salt Institute • Lessons Learned • General Discussion and Questions

3. National Perspective Sandi Moser Environment Canada

4. Environment Canada Perspective Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA) • Administered by Minister of Environment and Minister of Health • Requirements • Establish Priority Substances List (PSL) • Assess substances on PSL • For substances that meet the criteria of “toxic” (s.64 of CEPA), propose risk management instrument(s) within 2 years • Finalize instrument(s) within 18 months

5. Environment Canada Perspective What are road salts? • Salts applied to roadways for maintenance such as deicing, anti-icing and dust suppression • Substances assessed include: • Inorganic chloride salts (NaCl, CaCl2, KCl, MgCl2) • Sodium ferrocyanide (anti-caking additive)

6. Environment Canada Perspective History – Risk Assessment • Ministers’ Expert Advisory Panel recommended 25 substances (including road salts) be assessed under PSL2 • Environmental Resource Group (ERG) prepared supporting documentation for assessment • ERG members from federal and provincial governments, academia, consulting firms and industry • Draft assessment report published Aug 12, 2000 for public comment • Final assessment report published Dec 1, 2001

7. Environment Canada Perspective History – Environmental Effects • Wide range of impacts on: • Freshwater ecosystems (groundwater/surface water) • Soil • Vegetation • Wildlife • EC determined that in high concentrations, road salts pose a risk to plants, animals and the aquatic environment

8. Environment Canada Perspective History – Risk Management (RM) • Developed RM strategy • Consulted on RM objectives & instruments • Developed instrument (Code of Practice) • Published Code in Canada Gazette for 60-day comment period on Sept 20, 2003 (as required by CEPA) • Currently revising proposed Code

9. Environment Canada Perspective Next Steps • Winter 2004 • Finalize Code • Work with stakeholders on implementation and promotion aspects • Spring 2004 (tentative) • Publish final Code of Practice • Winter 2005-2006 • Implementation of the Code • Spring 2009 • Review Progress

10. Environment Canada Perspective Consultation – Multi-stakeholder Working Group • Formed in March 2002 • 80 participants from road authorities, environmental groups, salt producers, federal and provincial governments and associations • Purpose – Review and comment on materials, share information, transfer technology and ideas and develop a common approach to addressing environmental issues related to road salts • 6 meetings since April 2002

11. Environment Canada Perspective Risk Management Instrument • From the beginning • Did NOT consider banning road salts • Did consider environmental risks, road safety, economical, technological and other issues • Overall objective • To ensure environmental protection while maintaining road safety

12. Environment Canada Perspective Code of Practice • Main recommendations: • Prepare and implement salt management plan • Reflect best management practices in SMP, particularly in salt storage and application and snow disposal • Nothing in the Code should be construed as a recommendation to take action to the detriment of road safety

13. National Perspective Sarah Wells Transportation Association of Canada

14. National Perspective • TAC: national association of transportation stakeholders • TAC ~ AASHTO • Private and public sector members (federal, provincial, municipal agencies) • Neutral forum • Promotes the provision of safe, efficient, effective, sustainable (environmentally and financially) transportation system and services

15. National Perspective • TAC Involvement in Salt Management • Publish • Pilot • Participate • Partner • Prepare

16. National PerspectiveTAC involvement in salt management • Publish Salt Management Guide (1999) • Comprehensive reference guide on road salt management practices • Primer on Road Salt and Snow and Ice Control • Seven focused “codes” of practice • Endorsed by Chief Engineers’ Council and Environment Council

17. National PerspectiveTAC involvement in salt management • Pilot national road salt management working group • Monitor Environment Canada assessment • Develop action plan to address needs of road authorities re road salt management • Develop framework for salt management plans • Develop communications plan

18. National PerspectiveTAC involvement in salt management • Participate in Environment Canada’s Working Group • Acted as observer • Diverse viewpoints of federal, provincial, municipal members • Encouraged participation of interested, individual members • Monitored expected use of existing TAC documents in process

19. National PerspectiveTAC involvement in salt management • Partner with stakeholders to update Syntheses of Best Practices for Salt Management (2003) • Federal, provincial, municipal members, Environment Canada and Salt Institute • Nine new and revised syntheses of best practice referenced in EC Code of Practice • See Reading Room at www.tac-atc.ca

20. National PerspectiveTAC involvement in salt management • Prepare road maintainers, managers for new practices • Training available • On-line course on salt management guide • On-site courses available • More coming soon • RSMS Learning Guide free on TAC web site • Webinar sessions

21. Provincial Perspective Shael Gwartz Ontario Ministry of Transportation

22. Provincial Perspective • 10 Provinces, 2 territories • 2.1 million tonnes/year used on highways under provincial control • 45% of total road salt used in Canada • Wide variation in salt use across Canada • Duty to balance road safety and environmental stewardship

23. Provincial Perspective • Focus on: • Continuous improvement • Best Practices rather than salt reduction targets • Voluntary rather than regulatory approach • Balancing safety and environmental protection • Working collaboratively with others

24. Ontario Perspective • Salt Management initiatives • Search for alternatives since 1970s • Initiation of demonstration site (1995) • Development and testing of new materials, methods and technologies (ongoing) • Fostering implementation of best management practices

25. Ontario Perspective • Cooperative Efforts • Participation on Environmental Resource Group • (open and transparent information sharing) • TAC Salt Management Guide development (1999) • Participation in the TAC and EC Working Groups • Ontario ministries working group • Participation in Ontario’s municipal salt working group • Partnerships with municipalities on sharing RWIS data

26. City of Toronto Perspective Gary Welsh City of Toronto

27. City of Toronto Perspective • Population - 2.6 Million • Snowfall - 50 inches/year • Salt Used - 155,000 tons/year • De-Icing Events - 40 to 50 times/year

28. City of Toronto Perspective Political/Environmental Pressures • In 2001, Canadian Municipalities concerned with Environment Canada’s consideration of listing road salts under CEPA • Toronto Councillors suggesting de-icing methods should change • Environmental groups holding media events stating the City uses too much salt

29. City of Toronto Perspective Pro-active versus Re-active • could wait for Environment Canada to mandate changes • could wait for politicians to dictate changes • could wait for a possible no salt policy on City roads OR be pro-active to determine strategy instead of being told what to do

30. City of Toronto Perspective Toronto staff initiatives • involved with Environment Canada and other technical organizations (TAC) to help to determine how road salts were to be used in the future • make Toronto a leader in salt management instead of being perceived as lagging behind • developed a comprehensive salt management plan • formed a salt management working group with other municipalities and the province

31. City of Toronto Perspective Salt Management Plan • to optimize the use of de-icers on Toronto’s roads while striving to minimize impacts to the environment • objectives for: • level of service • equipment technology • materials/storage • training • winter operations administration

32. City of Toronto Perspective Salt Management Plan - Implementation • would be based on TAC’s Salt Management Guide • would require staff to significantly change methods of operation • would be completed within 8 months (November 2001) • would need several years to fully meet objectives

33. City of Toronto Perspective Salt Management Plan - Results • reduced salt usage by 15% • achieved over $2 Million CDN savings • funding made available for new equipment/storage improvements • new training program developed • compliments from politicians, environmental groups

34. Salt Industry Perspective Richard L. Hanneman Salt Institute

35. Salt Industry Perspective • Expert Panel, 1995 • EC gets organized, 1995-1997 • Assessing “road salts” 1997-2000 • Scientific process and issues: the battle of the scientists • Salt as poison: the battle of public relations • CEPA public consultation

36. Salt Industry Perspective (continued) • The salt industry’s commitment to environmentally-sensitive salt management • Sensible Salting 1972 – present • Sensible Salting Seminars 1972 – 1998 • Excellence in Storage awards 1988 – present • Partnership with National LTAPs 2001–present • Developing TAC’s Salt Management Guide • Stakeholder in EC working group 2001–present • Training Canadian snowfighters: OGRA, TAC

37. Lessons LearnedEnvironment Canada • Establish clear goals, process and work plan • Outline expectations • Describe how input/comments will be used • Listen to stakeholders • Take advantage of existing resources and new partnerships • Begin with issues that have consensus • Start early

38. Lessons LearnedTransportation Association of Canada • Communicate • Respect jurisdiction • Recognize responsibility • Work together

39. Lessons LearnedProvinces • Collaborate rather than oppose • Establish common goals and understand implications • Participate in consultative process • Promote understanding of initiatives that address concerns of others • Share information (internally and externally) • Proactive rather than reactive • Coordinate approaches • Continuous improvement • Focus on succeeding

40. Lessons LearnedCity of Toronto • A pro-active agency can be influential in overall process • Road de-icing operations in many municipalities need to be reviewed and updated • Sometimes change will only occur if there is a threat of someone else making decision • There is a great deal to learn from other organizations in the various working groups

41. Lessons LearnedCity of Toronto (continued) • An organization needs a champion • Support needed from senior management, elected officials, and even the media • Road safety does not have to be compromised • Savings can be achieved

42. Lessons LearnedSalt Industry • It’s politics, not science. Regrettably, the process is more political than scientific: don’t be lulled into thinking science is enough • Start early: We failed to mobilize salt customers, convincing them until nearly too late of the threat • Start with the end in mind: in this case, better salt management. Solve the problem first, before the politics

43. General Discussion