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Visionary De-icing Agent: Pickle Brine for Bavaria's Roads

All Vinegar? Before the onset of winter, the Bavarian State Building Authority equips itself with salt – and uses surplus saltwater from Develey's pickle production for winter services.

In Bavaria, a network of 20,000 kilometers of federal and state roads must be kept free of snow and ice with numerous winter service vehicles. (Symbol image: Pixabay)
In Bavaria, a network of 20,000 kilometers of federal and state roads must be kept free of snow and ice with numerous winter service vehicles. (Symbol image: Pixabay)
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Johannes Reichel
von Anna Barbara Brüggmann

The meteorological beginning of winter is just around the corner – and like the rest of Germany, the winter service of the Bavarian State Building Administration is well prepared. According to Bavaria's Transport Minister Christian Bernreiter, 880 vehicles and 2,000 own employees are planned for this season across Bavaria, and a total of 370,000 tons of salt have already been stored. In the event of a very severe winter, the supply from German salt deposits is secured to remain independent from deliveries from other countries.

According to the Bavarian State Ministry for Housing, Building and Transport, the Free State invested almost 55 million euros in securing winter road traffic in the past winter of 2022/23, of which 14 million euros were spent on road salt.

Saltwater Recycling

According to Bernreiter, efforts are being made to minimize the impact on the environment, plants, animals, and soils, and to use salt as efficiently as possible. For example, to reduce salt consumption, liquid brine is used instead of loose salt grains. This adheres better to the road and provides a longer-lasting effect.

And in Lower Bavaria, there is ongoing cooperation with Develey Senf & Feinkost GmbH: Saltwater left over from the production of pickles is processed and used in the road maintenance departments around Dingolfing for winter services. According to Bernreiter, this saves at least 100 tons of salt and 800,000 liters of water annually at the road maintenance departments around Dingolfing.

880 Vehicles for Winter Services

However, a winter road, despite safety measures, is not comparable to a dry road in summer, says Bernreiter. Therefore, the Bavarian Minister of Transport urges that winter tires should definitely be installed and sufficient time should be planned for the journey.

64 road maintenance departments in Bavaria are responsible for a network of 20,000 kilometers of federal and state roads – with around 300 state-owned winter service vehicles and 580 trucks operated by private contractors.

Translated automatically from German.
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