De-icers

Green purchasing guidance for de-icers, including:
  • Solid and liquid snow and ice melt products.

Required specifications

Purchasers must include these specifications, unless not possible:

  • EO 20-01: State Efficiency and Environmental Performance (SEEP) states, “When making purchasing, construction, leasing, and other decisions that affect state government’s emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) or other toxic substances, agencies shall explicitly consider the benefits and costs (including the social costs of carbon) of available options to avoid those emissions. Where cost-effective and workable solutions are available that will reduce or eliminate emissions, decision makers shall select the lower-emissions options.”

    It further states that “reducing… the use of dangerous toxics in the products state agencies purchase will all have a direct positive effect on human health, particularly for vulnerable children.”

    Therefore, all packaged snow and ice melt products (including solids up to 50 pounds and liquids up to 55 gallons) must be free of sodium chloride AND either:
  • All bulk liquid and solid deicers must contain a corrosion inhibitor.
    • When using seek input from DOT, would DOT be allowed to use Safer Choice products if they are not on the Clear Roads list? (For sidewalk application - small, packaged snow & ice melt vs truckloads)

Preferred specifications

Purchasers should include these specifications, unless not possible:

Things to avoid

Purchasers should avoid these specifications whenever possible:

  • All packaged snow and ice melt products (including solids up to 50 pounds and liquids up to 55 gallons) must be free of sodium chloride.

Laws, rules, and executive orders

These laws, rules, and executive orders must be included in the contract language:

Find these products on statewide contracts

Find products that meet Washington’s green purchasing specifications:

End of life

Surplus goods that still can be used

  • Use surplus disposal to get rid of items you no longer need. Keep materials out of landfills and make funds for your agency.

Recycling and disposal

Hazardous waste disposal guidelines and options:

Contact us

Leatta Dahlhoff

Environmental Technical Analyst