-WJLA Script-

Anchor:
THE ROADS ARE STARTING TO CLEAR BUT BIGGER PROBLEMS ARE ABOUT TO BEGIN.

TONIGHT 7 ON YOUR SIDE EXPOSES THE HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS THAT ARE "REALLY" BEING PUT ON THE ROADS.

ROSS MCLAUGHLIN'S HERE WITH THE STORY.

Ross McLaughlin:
THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE HERE IS SAFETY. ROAD CREWS ARE DOING A GOOD JOB OF KEEPING THE ROADS DRY AND CLEAR BUT THERE'S A BIGGER PICTURE.. THE CHEMICALS THEY USE ARE CREATING ANOTHER DANGEROUS ROAD HAZARD.

 

Story:
EVERYONE KNOWS ABOUT THIS. SALT, AND THE DAMAGE IT DOES, BUT WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS...

THE LIQUID DE-ICERS?

ASK SERVICE TECH DAVE SCHAEFFER.

Dave Schaeffer/Service Technician:"They have to use that salt just doesn't do the trick."

NO IT DOESN'T.

ESPECIALLY IN COLDER TEMPERATURES..YOU NEED SOMETHING STRONGER BUT STRONGER ISN'T ALWAYS BETTER.

Dave Schaeffer/Service Technician: "Oh, guy came in because it was dripping gas!"

AND NOW THE GAS TANK IS ON THE GROUND..JUST LOOK AT WHAT LIQUID DEICER CAN DO TO YOUR CAR.

Ross:"Show me what's going on with this vehicle."

Dave Schaeffer/Service Technician:"This rust here around the frame rails..you know pieces falling off.

Ross:"This brake line here is corroding here?"

Dave Schaeffer/Service Technician:"Yeah you can see the rust on it."

LET'S BREAK IT DOWN AND SHOW YOU WHAT'S ON THE ROADS AND WHY.

SODIUM CHLORIDE OR ROCK SALT IS USED EVERYWHERE IN OUR AREA BUT WHEN IT GETS COLDER HIGHLY CORROSIVE LIQUIDS ARE USED.. MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE IS ONE.. AGAIN USED EVERYWHERE AND IF YOU DRIVE IN MARYLAND AND THE TEMPERATURES DROPS FURTHER WATCH OUT FOR CALCIUM CHLORIDE.

Clayton Boyce/American Trucker Association:"A lot of people don't know much about it."

BUT CLAYTON BOYCE DOES.

Ross:"According to your report this corrosion problem's gotten worse in the last decade."

THE AMERICAN TRUCKING ASSOCIATION HAS RELEASED A REPORT ON MAGNESIUM AND CALCIUM CHLORIDE. THE ATA WANTS SUPPLIERS OF THESE CHEMICALS TO "CHANGE THE FORMULATION OF THEIR PRODUCTS."

THE LIQUID DEICERS STAY ON THE ROAD LONGER BUT THEY ALSO STICK TO YOUR CAR BETTER..ABSORBING MOISTURE AND CORRODING WELL AFTER THE ROADS ARE DRY.

JUST HOW MUCH IS SPLASHING UP ON YOUR CAR AS YOU'RE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD?

TO FIND OUT WE TOOK SAMPLES FROM PUDDLES ALONG MARYLAND HIGHWAYS.

AND HEADED TO THE LAB. THE RESULTS ARE ASTOUNDING. WHAT'S ON THE ROADS RIGHT NOW CONTAINS THE CORROSIVE POWER OF THE OCEAN NOT QUITE AS MUCH BUT STILL YOU WOULDN'T TAKE YOUR CAR TO THE BEACH AND PARK IT IN THE WATER. IT'S A PROBLEM SPREADING ACROSS THE NATION... IN STATES LIKE OHIO.

Dave Stacey/Ohio Service Technician"What's alarming to us this is something we're starting to see pretty regular now just premature parts wearing."

WHICH IS WHY PRESSURE IS ON MARYLAND VIRGINIA AND DC TO FIND BETTER ALTERNATIVES TO THESE DEICERS.

Ross McLaughlin:
SOMETHING IS BEING DONE.. AT LEAST 3 STATES IN THE WEST ARE USING ANTI CORROSIVES IN THEIR DEICING MIX..REDUCING CORROSION BY AS MUCH AS 70 PERCENT. MARYLAND IS HAS STARTED SOME ANTI CORROSIVES AND VIRGINIA, AND DC OFFICIALS TOLD US THEY'LL CONSIDER IT. IN THE MEANTIME VIGOROUSLY WASHING YOUR CAR WILL HELP BUT MAKE SURE TO GET UP IN THAT UNDERCARRIAGE TO WASH IT ALL AWAY.