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The Ever-present Salt bins

Grit Bins or salt bins are containers that are often used in countries that commonly experience snowfall and freezing temperatures. These sturdy containers are used to hold salt and grit mixture which are used on snow covered and unsafe sidewalks and roadways.

Two things happen when the grit bins spread the mixture on the snow covered pavement. First, the salt part of the mixture lowers the melting point of the snow, allowing for lower temperatures to turn the snow and ice into liquid. This is a chemical process where the sodium chloride absorbs ambient heat allowing the sunshine, no matter how little, to melt the ice and snow. The second action is physical change, where the grit provides traction because of the wet and icy result of the chemical change. Pebbles, sand, and woodchips are usually the components used on grit and the ones which provide the traction to prevent the non slipping of tires and people travelling on the slippery roads.

This process is a much better option as compared to having trucks and bulldozers clearing snow off the road or shoveling snow from the pathways. Snow trucks, for one, are very expensive and requires high maintenance. On the other hand, Salt bins are very low cost and low maintenance items to manage. Accidents are very common when driving on snow covered roads with the wheels usually spinning out of control. When sidewalks are covered with snow, passersby have a huge chance of slipping and have injuries because of the slippery walkways.

Grit bins, however, are only the containers which hold the salt and grit mixture. As for the salt-grit mixture, it is the responsibility of the local council to supply it during their delivery runs. Another problem is the issue of the actual spreading of mixture in a certain neighborhood. This service depends on the local councils, if they provide the grit spreading service or they require local townsfolk to do their share. The last option will require communities to shovel in spread the grit mixture in certain parts of their neighborhoods in shifting schedules.

The first grit bin designs were made of stone and concrete but these types of containers became easily brittle and lost their effectivity fast. This is the reason why the later designs of grit bins were made of polyurethane plastic. Like their predecessors, grit bins still suffered damage and destruction not because of the weather but because of vandals from people with nothing better to do. This container also face maintenance issues such as leaving their lids opens and letting moisture and rainfall render the mixture useless and tipping it over and leaving the mixture carelessly spilled on the surroundings.

Truly, Grit Bin perform a huge role in the community that often suffer from extreme weather. Our sidewalks and roads are made less dangerous with their help since they are the ones that store the salt-grit mixture.