Cheese byproduct used to treat icy roads this winter in southern Wisconsin county
More than 100,000 gallons of the cheese brine was used to treat roads last year.
See this Wisconsin county's unique approach to treating icy roads
As winter weather sets in, icy roads are a major safety concern for drivers. In Green County, which is right along the southern border of Wisconsin, trucks are tackling icy roads this winter by spreading a salty, watery byproduct from a local cheesemaker. Joining FOX Weather with the latest is the state's DOT highway commissioner, Chris Narveson.
GREEN COUNTY, Wis. – Winter weather has made its way to Wisconsin, and one county is using a cheese byproduct to treat slick roads this season.
Wisconsin Department of Transportation Highway Commissioner Chris Narveson said Green County has been using cheese brine to pre-wet roads before putting down salt treatments for about 20 years.
"It activates that salt quicker, so when it hits the ground, that's what really gets rid of your ice," Narveson said.
The salty, watery product is stored in tanks all year until it needs to be used. Narveson said WisDOT sources the brine from a local cheese factory called Grande Cheese Factory.
"They mix it to our specifications, which is 22% salt. But apparently, cheese brine is a trade-secret amongst the cheese factories," Narveson said.
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![WisDOT trucks treating roads with the cheese brine.]()
Image 1 of 5WisDOT trucks treating roads with the cheese brine. (Chris Narveson)
![Plant that stores the salty, watery cheese byproduct in tanks all year for use when treating icy roads.]()
Image 2 of 5Cheese Factory that makes the cheese brine WisDOT uses for road treating in Green County. WI. (Chris Narveson)
![Large tanks store the cheese brine for road treatment in Green County. Wisconsin.]()
Image 3 of 5Large tanks store the cheese brine for road treatment in Green County. Wisconsin. (Chris Narveson)
![Wisconsin Department of Transportation trucks dispersing the cheese brine on the roads]()
Image 4 of 5Wisconsin Department of Transportation trucks dispersing the cheese brine on the roads (Chris Narveson)
![Tanks holding cheese brine for road treatment in Green County. Wisconsin.]()
Image 5 of 5Tanks holding cheese brine for road treatment in Green County. Wisconsin. (Chris Narveson)
Narveson said using the cheese brine helps reduce industrial waste, and for some winter storms, salt isn't even necessary after using brine on the roads.
"The problem with moving to the brine for us here is our trucks are too small to handle the brine," he said. WisDOT needs trucks that can hold rock salt and the brine together for road treatment.
Narveson said the brine is helping Green County be more eco-friendly when treating the roads, because they need less salt afterward.
You may wonder if using a cheese byproduct leaves a stinky smell behind on the roads, and Narveson said there's not much of a smell. "When we keep it all summer in the big tanks, it'll get a little ripe," he said.
Narveson said more than 100,000 gallons of the cheese brine was used to treat roads last year. He said Green County is the second-least user of salt in the entire state of Wisconsin.