Department to Hold Waste Pesticide Disposal Events in September

The Montana Department of Agriculture’s annual Pesticide Disposal Event will be held in several locations across Eastern Montana during September. The collection events will be held September 20 in Malta, MT; September 21 in Sidney, MT; September 22 in Miles City, MT; and September 23 in Billings, MT. The annual event has collected more than 519,000 pounds of waste pesticides since it began in 1994.

The program was designed to help individuals dispose of any pesticides that are unusable as originally intended and cannot be used for any other purpose. This allows participants to dispose of waste pesticides in an environmentally responsible way and helps protect Montana’s ecosystems and groundwater, as well as families, pets, livestock and drinking water.

The department asks that participants pre-register, by September 5, 2016, before the collection events, so products can be managed safely and efficiently. Licensed pesticide applicators will receive information and a registration form in the mail. Others with waste pesticides in need of disposal can learn more and register on the program’s website at http://agr.mt.gov/agr/Programs/Pesticides/DisposalandRecycling/PesticideDisposal/.

There is no charge for the first 200 pounds of material. Amounts over 200 pounds are assessed at $0.50 per pound. A higher fee may apply to pesticides with dioxins or dioxin precursors.

The Montana Department of Agriculture’s mission is to protect producers and consumers, and to enhance and develop agriculture and allied industries. For more information on the Montana Department of Agriculture, visit agr.mt.gov.