The city’s decision was influenced by the rising price of environmentally friendly formate and negative feedback from residents. However, formate will continue to be used on roadways.
The City of Lahti has decided to discontinue the use of formate as an anti-slip agent on light traffic routes.
The winter maintenance of the pedestrian and cycle paths under intensive winter maintenance will be carried out by ploughing and sanding from Monday 23 January. The decision was taken in response to the increased price of formate and feedback from residents.
Among other things, formate has been alleged to rust bicycles. According to pedestrians, the substance is carried indoors by shoes, causing a mess. Dogs have also been reported to have symptoms in their paws due to formate.
The change in winter maintenance applies to a roughly 20 kilometer long route in the center of Lahti, Hämeenlinnantie and Launee. The use of environmentally friendly formate is still being used to prevent the slippage of roadways in order to protect groundwater.
The salt usually used in anti-slipping accumulates in the groundwater and increases the chloride concentration in the water. Formate, on the other hand, breaks down when it gets into the soil, and thus does not accumulate in waterways and nature.
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