Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning province, will employ a new, environment-friendly snow-dissolving chemical to clear roads and bridges this winter, according to a local government official.

The northeast provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Leilongjiang, affected by Siberian cold fronts, are known for their chilly winters and snow-covered landscapes.

According to the Shenyang official, the new agent is slip-resistant and can melt snow in two hours without unpleasant odors or harm to vegetation.

Having issued an order forbidding the use of salt and harmful chemicals, the city has prepared some 1,500 tons of the new agent for its battle against the snow.

The official said that, with the use of the agent, roads and bridges will be cleared within 24 hours of each snowfall.

(Xinhua News Agency November 27, 2002)