Do you have a sidewalk covered in compacted snow and/or ice? If your shovel can’t quite do the job, try an ice chisel instead!

Also known as an ice scraper or sidewalk scraper, these simple tools are great for removing ice and compacted snow from pavement. Having the right tools for the job will help you avoid over-using salt and deicing chemicals, which find their way into our rivers, lakes and groundwater.

Over-salting is a major problem in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. According to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, an estimated 365,000 tons of road salt is applied in just the metro area each year, and about 78 percent of that salt is either transported to groundwater or remains in the local lakes and wetlands. Chloride in road salt and other deicing chemicals is toxic to aquatic wildlife, plants and other animals, and can damage soil and infrastructure.

Learn more winter maintenance tips on our snow and ice removal page.