For those wondering whether the garbage and recycling will get picked up during this arctic freeze, so far crews are getting to most of the county.
While there have been some disruptions and delays to service because of road conditions, things have gone surprisingly well in the first few days since the snow and freezing temperatures arrived, said Rodd Pemble, recycling manager at Sanitary Service Company.
For the most part, the trucks have been able to get around collecting more than the usual amount following the Christmas holiday weekend. SSC serves more than 50,000 residential and commercial customers in Bellingham, Ferndale, Birch Bay, Blaine and the majority of unincorporated Whatcom County.
The company is providing updates on its website. On Monday, Dec. 27, crews could not get to Lummi Island and parts of the Mount Baker Highway, so those pickups were delayed a week. Typically, if SSC can’t reach a home or business because of the weather, it would come back on the same day the following week for garbage pickup, while it’ll pick up recycling and its FoodPlus! service on the next regularly scheduled pick-up day. SSC’s website also has advice for putting out garbage and recycling during this cold, wintry stretch.
Here are a few key tips:
? Put cardboard flat on the ground and put a recycling bin on top if needed during windy days. Pemble said cardboard flat on the ground is easier for crews to handle, even if snow gets on it.
? Don’t stack the recycling boxes on top of each other during windy events. Put them down singly on the ground, facing away from the wind. For those concerned about recycled paper being blown all over the neighborhood, put it in paper bags that fit inside the bin.
? Don’t use bungee cords to secure lids, because the recoiling hooks can be a hazard to the collectors.
? Place the recycling bins at least six feet away from the garbage tote bin so collectors have room to empty the garbage.