Bikes headed to landfill reclaimed, recycled
Through its bike diversion project, Bridge City Bicycle Co-op (BCBC) is keeping bikes out of the landfill while meeting a demand brought on by the pandemic.
The program, which began in 2016, is a partnership between BCBC and the City of Saskatoon.
“Staff at the Saskatoon Landfill noticed that a large number of bicycles were ending up at the landfill,” explains Brendan Lemke, the city’s director of water and waste operations.
BCBC is a non-profit whose volunteers partner with people who would either like a new bike or repairs to their own. Volunteers help them at no or low cost. Located in the core neighbourhoods, it primarily serves people living there, as well as newcomers, but anyone can access its services.
“Once they realized we were doing this, and the landfill was a destination for a very healthy supply of bikes in repairable condition ... the partnership made sense,” said BCBC board member Stan Yu.
BCBC evaluates the bikes from the landfill for reuse. Bikes that are deemed recoverable are refurbished and made available. Bikes that can’t be refurbished are used for parts.
“In the last two years, nearly 900 bicycles were recycled and only 151 scrapped,” Lemke said.
He said when the organization is open, up to 30 people form a lineup out the door. Unfortunately, BCBC had to close to the public and suspend its operations because of COVID-19, which has added another element to that demand.
“This is a great time for cycling because it is an option for individuals to get out, get some fresh air, engage in some physical activity while still adhering to the health and safety precautions,” Yu said.
“I’ve heard that it has been a real boom for bike shops across North America, that they are busier than ever.”
Scott Macdonald, co-owner of Atlas Outdoors Cycle and Recreation in Warman, confirmed that.
“I guess people kind of realized they’ve got nowhere to go and nothing to do, so everyone turned to biking,” he half joked. His store has only a handful of bikes left, including one youth bike, and this is common for bike shops right across North America, he said.
Macdonald said the rumour in the bike community is that manufacturers finished their runs, not anticipating the demand that would come with COVID-19.
“Every distributor that we have, they’re out of bikes. We sell the bikes, and we cannot order new stock.
“We go to order something, and if we don’t hit ‘submit’ quick enough, suddenly everything is put on back order because it’s been sold somewhere else.” He said it’s the same with bike accessories.