Four recycling events scheduled May 20-21
Flathead County residents have a few opportunities this month to properly dispose of or recycle specific types of trash.
A hazardous waste collection for businesses that generate small quantities of hazardous materials is Friday, May 20.
On Saturday, May 21, three special waste collection events are planned — an electronic waste collection, the annual Operation Medicine Cabinet event (where people can take unneeded prescription medications) and the monthly household hazardous waste collection day at the county landfill.
Businesses which want to participate in the May 21 hazardous materials project need to register in advance by calling the landfill at 758-5910.
Generally, to participate in that program, a business must be classified as a conditionally exempt small quantity generator, which means the business can produce about 200 pounds of hazardous materials a month or about 2,000 pounds a year. Businesses that produce greater amounts aren’t eligible for the May 20 program, according to Flathead County Public Works Director Dave Prunty.
A business owner schedules a drop-off time to take waste to the landfill. A hazardous waste collection company is on site that day to check the materials to make sure they can be hauled off. The business owner must pay that contractor for the service.
The county landfill is on U.S. 93 about eight miles north of Kalispell.
The May 21 electronic waste collection event provides people an opportunity to get rid of almost any type of electronics they no longer want.
Among the items accepted are computers, facsimile machines, printers, desktop photocopiers, satellite dishes, televisions, cellphones, movie or slide projectors, cameras and smoke detectors. People can’t bring in appliances, alkaline batteries or TVs larger than 36 inches in diameter, said Mayre Flowers, executive director of Citizens for a Better Flathead
The e-waste collection is a project of Citizens for a Better Flathead, Evergreen Disposal and the Flathead County Solid Waste District.
Although it’s permissible to put electronic waste into landfills in Montana, most electronics contain heavy metals that can be recycled. Items discarded at the e-waste collection are stripped of recyclable materials.
People are charged a disposal fee to leave their unwanted electronics at Valley Recycling at 1410 U.S. 2 W. The event runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
A price list and a list of all acceptable materials can be found online at www.valleyrecycling.com or people can call 257-4302 for more information.
Also scheduled for May 21 is Operation Medicine Cabinet. People can take their unneeded prescription medicines to the Flathead City-County Health Department parking lot at the Earl Bennett Building at 1035 First Ave. W. in Kalispell or to the south parking lot at North Valley Hospital in Whitefish.
It runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at both sites. People are not charged to toss their medications.
Lastly, on May 21, the monthly household hazardous waste collection program runs at the county landfill.
People need to schedule advance appointments by calling 758-5910 to take their products to the landfill.
People are not charged to drop of their household hazardous waste at the landfill that day.
Among the types of materials that can be hauled to the landfill are oil-based paint, solvent, adhesives, paint thinner, stains, cleaning products, furniture stripper, ammonia, pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, fertilizers, tree spray, fuel carburetor cleaner, flea powder, lye and turpentine.
Reporter Shelley Ridenour may be reached at 758-4439 or by email at sridenour@dailyinterlake.com.