This report was prepared by the Water Quality Branch of the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and reviews the available information on the environmental effects resulting from road de-icing and snow disposal. A brief review of the methods, equipment and materials used for snow and ice removal is also included. The literature generally concludes that highway de-icing and direct disposal of snow can cause environmental hazards, however, authors tend to agree that research is required to assess the degree of adverse effects of these practices. It appears that the design of most snow removal equipment has changed little since the time of early development of this equipment and that limited engineering information on snow removal equipment is available. Additional studies, recommended in the literature and required to assess and reduce the environmental impact of snow disposal and ice removal from roads, are also included in this report.