The City of Charlottetown is cutting back on its use of road salt this year and switching to a more environmentally friendly way to keep people from slipping on the ice at Victoria Park.

City crews will spread volcanic ash granules along the boardwalk and walking trails, according to recreation manager Sue Hendricken.

"This is an organic, Canadian-made product that will enable us to do more effective maintenance," she stated in a news release.

The product, called EcoTraction, won't melt the ice like salt does, but the green granules of volcanic rock will stick to the ice and provide traction, Hendricken said.

It's also expected to work better in the freeze-thaw climate because if the ice melts and freezes again, the granules will still provide traction.

Although it costs more than salt, less is needed to cover the same area, according to the product's website. And it can be swept up in the spring and re-used.

EcoTraction is also safe to touch, or if it's accidentally ingested by children, pets or wildlife, it says. In addition, it doesn't corrode cars, or damage lawns or gardens, the website claims.

The Ottawa entrepreneurs who created the product, Mark Watson and Marc Appleby, of Earth Innovations, have been featured on CBC's venture capitalist television series Dragons' Den.