The Montana Department of Agriculture announced on March 5 that it will facilitate spring and summer pesticide disposal events in 2026 across several cities, aiming to provide safe disposal options for unusable pesticides.
Spring events are scheduled for April 7-9 in Kalispell, Plains, and Missoula. Summer events will take place July 7-9 in Polson, Hamilton, and Butte. These additional collection opportunities are made possible through the Montana Pesticide Stewardship Partnership Program.
According to Carli Davis of the department’s Pesticide Disposal and Container Recycling Programs, “When it comes the disposal of pesticide products, Montana has limited options. Year after year, this program continues to ensure that waste product is properly disposed of in a manner that is also environmentally friendly.” The program assists individuals with disposing of pesticides that are unusable as originally intended or cannot be used for any other purpose. Since its inception in 1994, annual pesticide waste collection events have collected nearly 884,000 pounds of pesticide waste from over 1,900 participants.
The primary objective of the stewardship partnership program is to impact the health and water quality of the upper Columbia River Basin. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Columbia River Basin Restoration Funding Assistance Program began in 2016 to improve monitoring and make a positive impact on the basin.
Pre-registration deadlines are March 31 for spring events and June 30 for summer events. Registration is first come, first serve. There is no charge for the first 200 pounds; amounts over this limit incur a $1 per pound fee. Additional fees may apply to certain chemicals containing dioxins or their precursors.
The Montana Department of Agriculture contributes to community well-being by protecting agricultural producers, consumers and the environment via its regulatory and promotional efforts, according to the official website. The department operates statewide programs including grain inspection at the Montana State Grain Lab in Great Falls and collaborates with partners such as the Grow Montana Coalition to organize initiatives like the Governor’s Food and Agriculture Summit. More information about these services can be found as listed on the official roster page.
