The need for sustainable production and responsible management
The salt industry plays a significant role in the global supply chain of food, chemicals, and energy products. As with many natural resources, salt production can impact the environment, particularly when carried out on a very large scale or without proper management. With responsible practices, these impacts can be significantly mitigated, ensuring both the well-being of local communities and the long-term sustainability of the industry.
Salt production: Methods and environmental pressure
The main production methods in the modern salt industry include:
Solar evaporation: This salt is produced by evaporating seawater in coastal natural salt pans or artificial ponds where solar and wind energy cause sodium chloride to crystallise.It is a relatively mild method that does not heavily burden the environment. However, the lack of proper control in managing the resulting by-products or the "bittern" (saline solution remaining after crystallization), as well as poorly designed facilities, can cause localized increases in salinity and changes in biodiversity.
Industrial Mining and Solution Mining: Industrial salt extraction (in underground mines) and solution mining (injecting water to dissolve salt deposits and pumping the resulting brine to the surface) can have significant environmental impacts if proper management measures are not implemented. These methods often involve major land disturbances, increased energy and water consumption, and pose risks such as contamination of groundwater, soil erosion, or land subsidence. With proper planning, closed-loop waste management systems, and site restoration, these impacts can be significantly mitigated.
Environmental impacts of uncontrolled or unsustainable production: sea and coastal zone
The most serious environmental challenges from unsustainable salt production practices are found in:
Soil and Water Salinization: The accumulation of salt in freshwater environments, either due to leakage in areas with shallow groundwater tables or from increased usage (e.g., road de-icing), can degrade soil and water quality, leading to higher restoration and water treatment costs. Implementing proper dilution and drainage systems can significantly reduce this risk.
Ecosystem and Biodiversity Disruption: Without protective measures, changes in salinity levels or the discharge of untreated waste (mainly in industrial, rock salt mining and solution mining) can upset natural ecosystem balances, reducing sensitive species while favoring more salt-tolerant ones.
Air Pollution and Soil Erosion: The spread of salt dust and microclimatic changes are common in areas of intensive salt production lacking sufficient natural barriers (such as in salt pans) and proper storage practices in industrial salt management.
Social and economic impacts
Although the salt industry supports the sustainability of regions by providing jobs, local communities may be affected by the long-term impacts on natural resources and the rising costs of environmental management. This reinforces the need for collective action and collaboration among government authorities, the industry, and citizens.
The importance of environmental awareness and sustainable management: Proposals for a sustainable transition in the sector.
Adopting low-environmental-impact technologies (e.g., closed-loop brine management systems and advanced waste management methods): These solutions enable the recycling of liquid by-products, significantly reducing the likelihood of their dispersion into the environment.
Green belts and vegetation buffers: They act as natural barriers that trap dust and reduce salt dispersion to surrounding areas, while also enhancing local biodiversity.
Proper storage practices, effective waste management, and strategic orientation of evaporation ponds or storage tanks help minimize evaporation rates and potential dust emissions.
Developing salinity and biodiversity measurement systems near industrial facilities.
Transparency towards local communities through open data and the publication of environmental indicators.
Enforcement of environmental regulations with monitoring and penalties for non-compliance.
Recommendations for the industry and communities involved:
Education and training of industry personnel and consumer awareness of sustainable production practices.
Active participation of local communities in decision-making and environmental risk assessment.
The salt industry can remain a dynamic and sustainable sector if it makes environmental responsibility part of its core business. Prevention is always more cost-effective, efficient, and socially acceptable than remediation. Through institutional support, transparency, innovation, and the active involvement of all stakeholders, the desired balance can be achieved: between development and protection, between production and nature.