Is it powdery enough to use a gas leaf blower to remove it?
Wonder if you could take one of the scoop like snow shovels and drill out the rivets that hold the metal edge to the plastic scoop. The plastic is hard and may mark it up some, but at least it's not metal.
http://www.amazon.com/Suncast-SC1350...5927936&sr=1-3
Of coarse there are several kinds...