Aircraft de-icing creates much havoc

The spilling of Proplene Gylcol (the chemical used in deicing) has created controversy mainly in Alaska, but also throughout the rest of the United States, with the EPA. During the deicing procedure, before every flight, hundreds of gallons of Propylene Glycol are spilled onto the ground. The chemical that is used in the deicing process can be harmful to the surrounding environment. The EPA is trying to find a solution to this problem but the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) requires deicing during the winter months.

The reason being is that due to the extreme weather and higher altitude temperature changes, ice build up along the leading edges of the wings become more common. This is extremely dangerous and prevents smooth airflow of the airfoil on the wing, resulting in uncomfortable, unstable, flight. In previous occurrences, many aircraft have either crashed or have had to reroute due to the severe icing. Now that Propylene Gylcol is present in the aviation industry, the safety has improved dramatically. Because safety is above all other aspects, the EPA is going to struggle to find a solution to replace the current product with a new one.