```html Flood of Road Salt: Capitals Exaggerate in Winter Services ```

Despite increasingly mild winters, many cities continue to use large amounts of road salt. Greenpeace criticizes this practice as unnecessary and harmful to the environment. "The massive use of road salt is not only superfluous but also a danger to nature and infrastructure," emphasizes Greenpeace spokesperson Adam Pawloff.

Innsbruck, St. Pölten, Linz, and Bregenz perform particularly poorly – they received the worst rating ("Red") in the Greenpeace ranking. Vienna, Graz, and Salzburg landed in the middle ("Yellow"), while Eisenstadt and Klagenfurt were awarded "Green" as environmentally friendly role models.

Innsbruck Uses Almost Three Times as Much as Salzburg

According to Greenpeace, Innsbruck uses by far the most road salt with 3,800 kilograms per road kilometer. In comparison, Salzburg uses only a third of this amount, even though both cities have similar winter conditions. St. Pölten, Linz, and Bregenz also use above-average amounts of salt.

Klagenfurt and Eisenstadt, on the other hand, show that it is possible to manage with low salt consumption – even though Klagenfurt has the most frost days per year.

Bad for the Environment: Greenpeace Calls for Reduced Use of Road Salt

According to Greenpeace, road salt spreads far beyond the roads and enters soils and waters, affecting biodiversity. Trees like lindens and chestnuts suffer damage as a result. Pets like dogs suffer from cracked and inflamed paws when they come into contact with the salt. Road salt is particularly dangerous for small birds, which can pick up salt grains and die from them.

The environmental organization called for a drastic reduction in the use of road salt and better regulations. "The massive use of road salt is not only unnecessary but also a danger to our environment. Despite milder winters, large amounts continue to be spread," criticized Greenpeace spokesperson Adam Pawloff. Cities like Klagenfurt and Eisenstadt show that it can be done differently. "We can safely get through the winter with a sparing use of road salt. It is high time that cities and municipalities take responsibility and reduce salt consumption to the absolute minimum."

(APA/Red)

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