Only in the Coal Region – Using Ashes for Ice Traction

Does anyone else still spread coal ash for traction on the sidewalks during ice storms?

Coal ash isn’t really an ice melt, unless it’s still warm. But the shards definitely have a way of embedding on an icy sidewalk that makes walking a lot easier.

Coal Ash for Ice Traction

You’re only going to find people doing this in places where coal furnaces are still used as home heat. That narrows it down considerably.

However, coal ash is still a somewhat popular treatment for icy roads. You’ll likely find coal ash being spread on roads where the town doesn’t have a lot of money.

Again, it’s not going to melt the ice but it does give some traction.

This article from Commie propaganda site Think Progress says coal ash is dangerous because it contains a lot of toxins and heavy metals.

While it may contain some of those toxins, are they dangerously toxic?

The executive director of the American Coal Association says that’s not the case. In an interview with Energy News Network back in 2014, Tom Adams says the toxins are present in the native rocks and dirt in areas where coal is prevalent already.

“None of these things exist in concentrations anywhere near what the EPA is concerned about,” he said.

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