Snow removal is not one-size-fits-all. You can do it better, cheaper and pollution-free.
Do you shovel your own sidewalks or hire a snow removal service? Does your business shovel snow at the entrance? Do you provide snow removal services for hire? If the answer is “yes” to any of these questions, keep reading and learn about ways to keep sidewalks, entryways, parking lots and driveways safe in winter while saving money and reducing water pollution.
Water pollution from salt (or chlorides) is widespread in the Twin Cities and the vast majority comes from de-icers used in winter maintenance. As little as a single teaspoon of salt pollutes five gallons of water, the equivalent of a 50-pound bag of salt polluting 10,000 gallons of water. Salt becomes invisible shortly after it is applied because it dissolves and becomes difficult and costly to remove. This is significant because prevention is the only feasible way to protect our clean water.
Whether you do it yourself or hire a snow removal service, pollution-free winter maintenance is a skill. And it doesn’t take long to find out what you need to know.