Scavenging ban hasn't boosted trash load

The amount of waste hauled from the garbage container site in Columbia Falls hasn’t increased in the six weeks since the solid waste district banned scavenging from the garbage containers, the landfill operations manager recently told Flathead County commissioners.

Jim Chilton and Flathead County Public Works Director Dave Prunty updated commissioners on solid waste issues, including the July 1 Dumpster-diving ban put in place at the landfill and the Columbia Falls green-box site.

Two truckloads of garbage are hauled from Columbia Falls to the landfill every weekday, and that quantity hasn’t changed since July 1, Chilton said. On weekends, the volume typically doubles, he said, because more people haul their trash out on weekends than weekdays.

“Salvagers pulled out a minuscule amount of trash,” Prunty said. One complaint voiced when solid waste board members voted to make the change was that the amount of trash ending up at the landfill would greatly increase. That hasn’t proven to be the case, he said.

“There have been no visible changes to the volume of trash since we implemented that policy,” he said. “We’re not hauling any more garbage out of Columbia Falls.”

Since the district hired an employee to staff the Columbia Falls site, it also has been able to collect more metals, which are sold to a recycler and the revenue used to offset costs incurred by the solid waste district, Prunty said.

Solid waste employees pile scrap metal that can be sold at all the garbage sites in the county, but much of that metal disappears from the other sites where no employees are based, he said.

Commissioners also were briefed on the Waste Not Project, a cooperative effort between the solid waste district, Flathead Valley Community College and Citizens for a Better Flathead. It has been in place for 17 years.

The program’s purpose is to heighten awareness of solid waste issues and to help educate people about trash and recycling, Prunty said.

The solid waste district obtains a $16,000 grant each year that is administered by the college to fund the program. Mayre Flowers of the citizens group serves as executive director of the Waste Not project.

Members of the solid waste board are pleased with the results of the Waste Not Project, Prunty said.

The major projects of the Waste Not effort are the monthly household hazardous materials collections at the landfill, the annual electronic waste collection day, the annual small business hazardous materials collection day and the annual pharmaceutical drop-off day.

Project employees also promote recycling drop-off sites located throughout the county and operate an educational compost garden at the landfill

“Montana, in general, is lagging behind in education about the value of reduce, reuse and recycle,” Prunty said.

Soon, a secure barrel where people can dispose of their unwanted prescription medicine will be located at the county Sheriff’s Office, Prunty said. The solid waste district has been awarded a $1,000 grant for that program.

Reporter Shelley Ridenour may be reached at 758-4439 or sridenour@dailyinterlake.com.