Bikenomics: A Sanitary Service company that loves cycling

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Business: Sanitary Service Inc. of Bellingham
Owner: Paul Razore
Industry: Garbage Collection and Recycling

Big garbage trucks and cyclists don’t often mix but the fine folks at Sanitary Service Company in Bellingham are going out of their way to be bike-friendly.

Owner Paul Razore is a longtime cyclist, and multiple SSC employees are year-round bike commuters.

Recently, Razore got in touch with us to get Look Twice for Bikes window decals for every truck he operates. He  devised a reflective decal, too. Intended for the rear of his company trucks and to be spread around in the community, the reflective sticker simply reads “Bicycle Friendly,” a message for the more vulnerable users on the road.

“We encourage people to place them on their mailboxes or vehicles to let a cyclist know help is at hand if they need it,” stated Razore. “Really helpful in rural parts of Whatcom County.”

The decals are just a small part of SSC’s general support for bicycling in the community.

Rodd Pemble, the Recycling Manager at SSC, and a year-round bike commuter, said SSC also sponsors numerous cycling events including Tour de Whatcom, Ski To Sea, the WWU Hill Climb, Ken Meyer Criterium and the Mt. Baker Hill Climb.

Additionally, they’ve sponsored the Western Washington University road and mountain racing team for six years, leading to impressive results for the team.

“The WWU Vikings road/mountain team has consistently placed high at Regionals and frequently at Nationals,” said Pemble.

During Bike Month, SSC is visible as well. They sponsor and staff a Bike to Work Day station and always have a team in the annual Bike to Work Day tricycle race at City Hall.

Finally, they collect forsaken and outgrown bicycles and repurpose them.

“[The Recycle Your Cycle program] accepts useable or fixable bikes of all types, which are then donated to The Hub, a local organization that refurbishes bikes for low cost resale to people who can’t afford new,” explained Pemble. “They also have a shop with tools that can be used and offer classes on how to repair and maintain your bike.”

It seems that Pemble has passed his knowledge of recycling and bicycling on to the next generation as his daughter, using her newly-obtained welding skills, is transforming old bus shelters into covered bike parking for Bellingham High School.

“Whatcom Transit Authority donated old bus shelters for her to transform as her senior project. Pretty cool reuse, from one mode to another,” said Pemble proudly.

Learn more about the many ways SSC supports bicycling on their website at www.ssc-inc.com.

Bikenomics is a feature series to spotlight the greater Seattle area’s growing bike businesses. Know a business that should be featured? Send me an email at amrook@cascadebicycleclub.org.