There are many advantages to using formates as deicing agents at airports. To begin with, they are extremely effective and they also function at lower temperatures than traditional deicers based on urea. The formates are also biologically degradable and totally non-toxic. Furthermore, they are significantly less corrosive than, for example, road salt.

Today, Perstorp has two formulas for deicing agents, based on sodium formate and potassium formate. The former is available in solid form and is used in the US, while the latter is in liquid form, which is traditionally used in Europe. Most important of all is that both products have now been approved by Scientific Material International (SMI), the US institute authorized to issue such certification.