Thursday was the beginning of autumn, which means snowstorms are sure to follow. Hopefully the predictions of a mild winter with less snow are true, but only time will tell.

Last winter we were supposed to have heavy snow and we lucked out and didn’t. Certainly our only choice is to take what we get or move to a warmer climate. My relatives in Georgia received more snow after January than I received here in Windham so “normal” can vary a lot. What bothers me the most is that when snow and ice fly, here come the toxic chemicals to melt whatever is frozen on the roads so that drivers can fly instead.

Two chemicals that we hear the most about being used to keep the roads clear are rock salt (sodium chloride) and calcium chloride. There is also salt brine, which is used from time to time. I don’t want to bore the reader with a long, chemical description of each chemical but their corrosive properties are well documented. Rock salt stops working in colder temperature before calcium chloride does.

Calcium chloride is a combination of calcium and chlorine in a liquid form. The pellet-form simply has the water evaporated away and then it’s bagged. Calcium chloride can be purchased with a corrosion inhibitor that lessens the damage to metals and other materials.

I am shocked at the amount of damage done to our vehicles we drive in the winter months. I have frequently replaced brake lines, fuel lines, brake parts like rotors and calipers and exhaust parts. These chemicals also attack power steering pumps, exhaust manifolds and even engine blocks. Other materials besides steel affected are aluminum and even stainless steel. It’s not only the bodies and frames of vehicles that are rusting as bridges are being affected if they are made of metal. It would be interesting to know how much the total damage is costing us. What I find amazing that even sealed parts like wheel bearings are rusting from the use of these chemicals.

I also suspect that the dead grass and trees along roads result from the usage of these two chemicals. Even wells have tested positive which certainly is not a positive thing for one’s health. In the Legislature in Augusta a bill was proposed to ban the use of calcium chloride but it died in committee and I think that was truly a shame. I grew up when the primary treatment was sanding the roads. Rock salt was used sparingly in areas that became icy and thus dangerous.

Many drivers want these chemicals used in order to speed up the process of clearing ice and snow from the roads. I believe that is because many don’t have a clue as to how to drive in snow and other types of bad weather. Of course, the need for speed is probably the number one factor drivers complain about when these chemicals are used sparingly. It doesn’t hurt to leave a little early and drive a little slower.

Since this column is about poisons, I have to laugh when I think about the government’s action when it comes to things either poisoning us or just plain polluting our water. Take the Windham Leaf and Brush disposal area at the Public Works Department located on Windham Center Road. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) made Windham have two short periods for us to pile our leaves and brush and then the piles must be removed quickly from the site. This year the pile of leaves has been there for months because no business wants them. It’s amazing the government bends rules for government but not for us. That’s no different when it comes to the Windham Town Charter but that’s for another column.

Lane Hiltunen, of Windham, is rumored to have rust in his system.