LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The city of Lincoln is trying to patent a beet brine formula that melts ice on the city’s streets.

The city’s public works maintenance manager, Ty Barger, and his staff have developed seven formulas for brine mixtures over the past two years with help from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s chemical and biomolecular engineering department.

The city has hired a patent attorney to work on a patent so the city can at least market the product locally. Barger signed an agreement acknowledging that the formula belongs to the city, not to him personally, since it was developed as part of his job.

Assistant City Attorney Steve Huggenberger says the city isn’t certain the formula can be patented.