"Additives in deicing/anti-icing fluids can be significantly more toxic to the aquatic environment than glycols alone. Corrosion inhibitors are highly reactive with each other and with glycols; reactions can produce highly toxic byproducts. Other additives such as wetting agents, flame retardants, pH buffers, and dispersing agents also exhibit high aquatic and mammalian toxicities." ¹ Compared to studies of pure propylene glycol by itself, these proprietary additives change the true toxicity of the commercial chemicals used by HPN to deice.

Reducing the Quantity of Deicing Fluid is Better Environmentally

Cutting down on the amount of deicing fluid used would mean storing a smaller raw quantity, less fugitive glycol that evaporates into the air or slides off the plane, and reduces the many gallons of chemical- melt that is stored and then disposed. EPA states that even following the most effective protocols, less than 50% gets retrieved on the deicing pads. Some evaporates in the air and some is shed by the planes as they take off.

It would seem that the use of infrared deicing would have many advantages.  Infrared structures are better lighted and thus assure a more accurate manual inspection. Infrared is cheaper and it takes the same or less time.  With no precipitation in the air, it it does not use any chemicals at all, it just entails removing ice.

An alternate deicing method uses a combination of forced air mixed with a reduced amounts of glycol will save 45% to 70% of the chemical load.          

1) United States Office of Water (4303) EPA-821-R-00-016 Environmental Protection Washington, DC 20460 August 2000 EPA Preliminary Data Summary Airport Deicing Operations (Revised) 

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