Montana Department of Agriculture Announces 2024 Pesticide Disposal Events

HELENA, Mont. - The Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA) is facilitating spring pesticide disposal events in the Columbia River Basin region during the week of April 10th-12th, 2024, in Libby, Polson, and Butte. Summer disposal events are set for July 9th-11th, 2024, in Eureka, Clearwater Junction, and Butte. These additional pesticide disposal events were made possible through the Montana Pesticide Stewardship Partnership Program (MT PSPP). 

The primary objective of the MT PSPP is to have a lasting impact on the health and water quality of the upper Columbia River Basin (CRB), knowing that protecting the upper basin will also have a sustained positive effect downstream. The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Columbia River Basin Restoration Funding Assistance Program was started in 2016 to better monitor and make positive impact in the Columbia River Basin.

Congress amended the Clean Water Act in 2016 by adding Section 123 (33 U.S.C. ? 1275), which required EPA to establish a Columbia River Basin Restoration Program. Section 123 directs EPA to develop a voluntary, competitive grant program for environmental protection and restoration programs throughout the Basin.

Annual pesticide waste collection events have collected nearly 780,000 pounds of pesticide waste from over 1,800 participants since the program's inception in 1994.

"Montana has very limited options to get rid of pesticide products," said Carli Davis of the MDA's Pesticide Disposal and Container Recycling Programs. "This program is one way of assuring the waste product is properly disposed in a manner that is also environmentally friendly."

The MDA program was designed to assist individuals with disposing of any pesticides that are unusable as originally intended, or cannot be used for any other purpose, in an environmentally responsible way. In effect, the Pesticide and Waste Disposal Program protects Montana's ecosystems and groundwater, as well as families, pets, livestock and drinking water from potentially hazardous materials.

2024 Pesticide Waste Collection Dates and Locations:

  • Wednesday, April 10th - Libby, MT
  • Thursday, April 11th - Polson, MT
  • Friday, April 12th - Butte, MT
  • Tuesday, July 9th - Eureka, MT
  • Wednesday, July 10th - Clearwater Junction
  • Thursday, July 11th - Butte, MT

The pre-registration deadline for the spring event is Monday, April 1, 2024, and the pre-registration deadline for the summer event is Monday, July 1, 2024. Registrations for pesticide waste collection events are accepted on a first come, first-serve basis. There is no charge for the first 200 pounds of material; amounts over 200 pounds are assessed at $1.00 per pound, and products are weighed on site. Additional fees may apply to pesticides with dioxins or dioxin precursors.  

Please visit the Montana Waste Pesticide Disposal Program page to pre-register. For more information, please visit agr.mt.gov/Pesticide-Waste-Disposal-Program or contact Carli Davis at (406) 465-0531.

The Montana Department of Agriculture is serving Montana Agriculture and growing prosperity under the Big Sky. For more information on department programs and services, visit agr.mt.gov, or contact Carli Davis (Montana Department of Agriculture, (406-465-0531) or Logan Kruse (Montana Department of Agriculture, (406-444-3684).

Relayed by Cecil Tharp ([email protected]); Authored by the Montana Department of Agriculture

Contact Carli Davis (MDA) for more information ([email protected])

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