Why Are Officials Pouring Cheese on Wisconsin Roads?

Milwaukee officials are actually pouring cheese on icy roads, as part of a new pilot program aimed at repurposing cheese brine to keep roads from freezing.

According to the New York Times, the program to mix the excess cheese brine with rock salt began this month and is viewed as a way to cut costs and pollution.

“You want to use provolone or mozzarella,” Jeffrey A. Tews, fleet operations manager for the public works department, sarcastically said, according to the New York Times. “Those have the best salt content. You have to do practically nothing to it.”

[sharequote align="center"]“We’re just trying to make every possible use of cheese."[/sharequote]

“We’re just trying to make every possible use of cheese,” Tony Zielinski, an alderman, reportedly added. “If this takes off, if this proves to be a success here, I’m sure that it will be used in cities all over the country.”

Nevertheless, officials will be examining possible problems with the program, including possible cheese odor and whether or not the pouring of cheese on the streets attracts rodents, according to the New York Times.

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Featured image courtesy of Shutterstock.

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