BS 3247:2011 — UK + Ireland Highway Deicing Salt Standard
BS 3247:2011 UK Highway deicing salt standard. 1.0-6.0 mm particle size, 97% NaCl minimum, ≤1.5% moisture, E535 anti-caking. Egyptian sea + rock salt SKUs compliant.
BS 3247:2011 — British Standard for Salt for Spreading on Highways
BS 3247:2011: "Salt for spreading on highways for winter maintenance" is the UK national standard for de-icing salt used by National Highways (formerly Highways England) and UK local authorities. It's harmonised with EN 16811-1 but adds UK-specific procurement requirements.
- De-icing rock salt for UK motorway, trunk road, local authority road, runway, footpath winter maintenance
- Applicable to: rock salt (mined), solar salt, vacuum salt — any NaCl source meeting purity + gradation
- Procurement reference for Salt Association UK members + Public Sector buyers
| Property | Specification |
|---|---|
| NaCl | ≥ 95% (dry basis) |
| Insoluble residue | ≤ 5.0% |
| Moisture | ≤ 2.0% (kiln-dried) or ≤ 4.0% (natural) |
| Anti-caking | E535 sodium ferrocyanide, max 100 ppm (optional) |
UK Highways spec typically requires:
| Sieve | % passing (target) |
|---|---|
| 10 mm | 100 |
| 6.3 mm | 90-100 |
| 2.8 mm | 50-85 |
| 0.85 mm | 5-30 |
| 0.063 mm | 0-3 |
This produces a 1-6mm working range optimised for UK spreader vehicles (Schmidt, Bucher, Romaquip) at 10-40g/m² application rates.
UK winter operations increasingly use pre-wetted salt at 30% MgCl₂ brine for sub-zero working temperatures. BS 3247 compliant salt must accept brine uniformly without clumping or excessive moisture-induced caking.
Egypt Globe Group supplies BS 3247:2011-compliant rock salt:
Typical Egyptian assay:
- NaCl: 96.5-97.5% (rock from Siwa + Qattara; exceeds 95% spec)
- Insolubles: 1.5-2.5% (well under 5.0% limit)
- Moisture: 1.0-1.5% (kiln-dried) — meets ≤2.0%
- Particle size: ≥85% within 1-6mm window — meets typical UK Highways spec
National Highways operates ~25 strategic salt-storage facilities across the UK Strategic Road Network (motorways + trunk roads). Annual consumption: ~2 million MT in average winters, up to 3+ million MT in severe winters (2018 "Beast from the East").
Procurement typically goes through:
- Salt Association UK member suppliers
- Public contracts published on Find a Tender / Contracts Finder
- Multi-year framework agreements (typically 2-4 year contracts with extension options)
Egyptian salt enters this market via:
- Direct National Highways contracts (with pre-qualification)
- UK distributor / aggregator partnerships
- Local authority direct supply (county-level)
- Mill Test Certificate per BS 3247 chemical analysis
- Gradation report per BS 410 / EN 933-1 sieve analysis
- BS 3247:2011 compliance letter signed by QC manager
- Salt Association UK supplier registration confirmation
- SDS per CHIP / CLP
- Bill of Lading + Certificate of Origin + Commercial Invoice
- Optional third-party TÜV Austria / SGS / Intertek inspection report
| Standard | Region | Min NaCl | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| BS 3247:2011 | UK | 95% | UK Highways + Local Authorities |
| EN 16811-1 Grade A | EU | 96% | Motorway pre-treatment |
| EN 16811-1 Grade B | EU | 95% | High-speed roads |
| EN 16811-1 Grade C | EU | 95% | Lump stockpile |
| ASTM D632 Grade 1 | USA | 95% | Coarse de-icing |
| AASHTO M-143 | US Federal/State DOT | 96.5% | Adopts ASTM D632 + tighter spec |
| SS-EN 16811-1 | Nordic | 95% | Pre-wetting + Type 2 natural moisture |
| GOST 13830 Grade I | CIS | 97% | Russian highway authority |
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