Pesticides threaten the health of Montana’s wildlife and people when they’re disposed of incorrectly. When people don’t know where to bring them, they tend to dump them in waterways, down a sink drain or in ditches.
Carli Davis is the state’s Pesticide Waste Program Director.
“Those are all methods that people default to because Montana doesn’t have a lot of options to get rid of this stuff,” Davis says.
She says they’re hosting three pesticide disposal events this summer in an effort to give Montanans a better option than the drain.
These chemicals are widely used for agriculture but also on lawns. Pesticides that are dumped can seep into aquifers that supply water to towns, potentially causing human health problems like cancer.
“We still see DDT, strychnine oats, some of those old pesticides that were banned a long time ago, we’re seeing those,” Davis says.
DDT is a pesticide that played a significant role in the decline of bald eagle populations. As a result, it was banned in 1972.
“Just bring it in, no questions asked, we’ll just get rid of it for you,” Davis says.
Davis says they’re targeting two groups: people who want a more environmentally friendly way to dispose of leftover pesticides, and owners of older farmsteads with larger supplies.
After the chemicals have been collected, they’re hauled to Utah where they’re incinerated. This process still produces toxins, but is a widely preferred method of disposal, according to the U.N.
The disposal events will take place in Polson, Hamilton and Butte in late June and early July. The first 200 lbs of pesticides are free. The registration deadline for the events is June 23.
Montana Public Radio is a public service of the University of Montana. State government coverage is funded in part through a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
