The U.S. has been countering a month of winter storms and icy highways with salt. Road salt has been used for decades to keep roads clear during the winter months. However, research increasingly shows that road salt is harmful to the environment. 

Here's what recent studies, including estimates from the Cary Institue of Ecosystem Studies in New York and from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, have to say about the problems with road salt, as well as a possible solution.

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