Kingston City Council Review Finds Beet-juice-based Winter Road Maintenance Alternative Offer Minimal Benefits, Considerable Challenges

By Aara Macauley, CFRC's Broadcast Journalist and Local Journalism Initiative Reporter.

Kingston City Council got answers, in the form of a comprehensive information report, on the feasibility of using beet-based and similar alternative de-icing products for Kingston winter road maintenance practices during their May 5 council meeting. Following a request by council at their March 24 meeting, as previously covered by CFRC LJI reporter Christena Lawrie, the study explored the feasibility and potential impacts of alternative products (beet juice, molasses‑based products, cheese‑processing brines, distillery by‑products, and lignin‑derived materials) from multiple perspectives.

The report found that beet-juice-based additives did not provide meaningful advantages over existing practices, and introduced new challenges in the form of increased costs, negative environmental impact, and additional infrastructure requirements.

Councilor Osanic thanked city staff for their report, noting the potential for beet juice sugar to attract wild life to the side of the road, and asked that this be included in the report.

Councilor Tozzo expressed his disappointment in the findings, but remained pragmatic. “The beet goes on, I guess.”

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