Volunteers sought for new recycling program at fair

The Northwest Montana Fair will be a bit greener as it kicks off Aug. 19 for a five-day run.

Fifty new recycling bins for cans and bottles will be placed throughout the fairgrounds, giving fair-goers an easy and convenient way to recycle their plastic bottles and metal cans.

Citizens for a Better Flathead, through its WasteNot Project, has collaborated with the Flathead County Fairgrounds, Valley Recycling and the Flathead County Solid Waste District to make the recycling bins available.

The recycling effort is being helped by a grant from Keep America Beautiful and The Coca-Cola Foundation.

The new recycling program is relying on community volunteers for its pilot year at the fair. Local volunteer groups, fair vendors, 4-H clubs and other organizations have stepped up to help manage the bins.

“We’re grateful for these volunteers who will play a crucial role in the success of this new program,” said Allison Batch, WasteNot Project coordinator. “We’re very excited to provide recycling options for the fair and other fairgrounds events, and to start reducing the impact these large-scale events have on our landfill.”

Additional volunteers are still needed.

Call 756-8993 if you would like to volunteer and receive a pass to enjoy the fair while helping maintain and promote the use of these bins.

During the fair, the public can support the recycling program by only putting No. 1 or No. 2 plastic bottles and aluminum cans into the recycling bins. Containers should be emptied of any food or liquids before recycling.

The large blue bins will be available year-round for any event hosted at the county fairgrounds that wants to use them.

It is anticipated that the 4-H program will play a collaborative role in the recycling program with support from the WasteNot Project, according to Batch.

Valley Recycling has pledged to assist this new program by providing collection services for the recyclable materials. This bin grant will make it possible to have recycling collection at some of the 200 public events hosted at the fairgrounds annually.

The WasteNot Project has managed a free recycling bin loan program for local community events since 2011. Use of the current program has grown, and bins are used for an increasing number of events throughout the county.

Contact the WasteNot Project at 756-8993 for more information on using these recycling bins for your next event.