New line for deicer manufacture has been started at NIOCHIM’s branch Chemical Metallurgical Plant (KhMZ). This calcium chloride based product for roads deicing and snow removal has been developed by our specialists and will be marketed under “Krygozher” brand.
Ukraine President’s Program “Large Construction” includes roads construction and management. We completely support this program, so we decided to make our own input and solve one of the key issues: correct roads maintenance in winter.
Current road maintenance regulations in Ukraine are outdated (especially deicers list and composition, as well as their consumption standards). These regulations require urgent update and adaptation to current circumstances taking inti account today’s developments in basic chemistry and leading countries experience.
Incorrect run of roads, road equipment and infrastructure during cold seasons damages asphalt and concrete coatings (especially pavement plates) and each spring we find to our surprise that asphalt disappears together with snow. As a result the state bears huge expenses for holes patching and coating substitution.
Unfortunately, sand and salt are the leafing deicers in Ukraine, as they are cheap. These old-fashioned means harms soil and greenery around the roads, choke galleys and drainages with solid parts, corrode cars and other equipment, harm our shoes, dress and health.
Outdated laws and perhaps lobbies in municipal services create the situation when effective, economic and environmentally safe product loses to sand and salt mixtures in the officials’ heads and purses. So, before the winter starts municipal and road storages are again filled with tons of sand and environmentally harmful but cheap salt.
The list of our research fields includes calcium chloride. This product can be used as and excellent deicer. It is much more efficient than table salt, thus its consumption is lower. So, it harms the soil less. Special additives (inhibitors) developed at our institute provide for decrease of metal structures and cars.
Tests of the new product and sand and salt mixtures held at NIOCHIM showed that Krygozher’s melting ability is higher than corresponding salt values in the whole temperatures range. Our product completely meets the requirements of DSTU 8853:2019 (Ukrainian standard).
Taking into account all above mentioned we believe that it is necessary to start industrial tests of our product’s composition and efficiency under “field” conditions on the streets and roads of Ukraine.
We are sure that up-to-date domestic deicers will save our roads and pavements, environmental conditions in our cities, our health. It will also save local budgets.
