Icy roads are synonymous with Michigan winter, and the Washtenaw County Road Commission uses about 18,000 tons of salt in an average year to keep the roads safe. It is the most cost-effective way to treat the roads, but it is horrible for the environment. A new University of Michigan-led research project seeks to find solutions in the natural environment. WEMU's David Fair was joined by Anish Tuteja. He is a professor of materials science and engineering at the University of Michigan and is serving as the project’s principal investigator.