New partnership gives old bikes, bike parts second life through recycling, refurbishing

Unwanted bicycles and old bike parts that might normally end up in the scrap metal bin can now have a second life, thanks to a new partnership between King County, Bike Works and CleanScapes.

In an effort to increase recycling and reduce waste, King County is collecting unwanted bicycles and parts at its Shoreline Recycling and Transfer Station and delivering them to Bike Works, where they are refurbished for repair and reuse. CleanScapes provides the recycling bin and hauls the collected materials to Bike Works. There is no cost to drop off these items at the County’s Shoreline facility.

“This program helps us move closer to our goal of zero waste of resources,” said Kevin Kiernan, Director of the Solid Waste Division with the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks. “Reusing and recycling these valuable materials gives us more space in our landfill for the things that need to be there.”

More information on all of the recycling opportunities available at Shoreline can be found at http://your.kingcounty.gov/solidwaste/facilities/transfer.asp.

Bike Works is a non-profit organization that refurbishes bicycles through youth and volunteer programs and turns them into affordable, carbon-free transportation. Through Bike Works’ “earn-a-bike” program, kids can enroll in classes and learn how to maintain bikes from older students.

Bike Works processed 1,736 used bicycles in 2010, saving 40 tons of waste and providing transportation to thousands of people. Unusable parts are recycled through partnerships with local businesses. More information about Bike Works is available at www.bikeworks.org. More information about CleanScapes is available at http://www.cleanscapes.com/.