DEQ recycling event successful

Thank you to the 127 Flathead Valley businesses, schools and individuals who dropped off used electronics at the CollEctronics Event in Whitefish on May 26-27 at The Wave.

You kept 150 computer monitors, 104 desktop computers, 133 printers, 20 laptops, 174 small peripherals, 23 telephones, 15 word processors/typewriters, 23 cell phones, 19 televisions and much more out of our landfill. That was enough to completely fill 28 tractor trailers.

Volunteers from the Whitefish community braved two rainy days and helped the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and Sen. Dan Weinberg, D-Whitefish, with the first of four pilot programs in Montana to raise awareness of and gather data on electronics recycling throughout Montana.

This will result in more environmentally responsible programs that will target the growing need for electronics disposal and prevent hazardous wastes from polluting our state.

Thanks also to technicians from Cyberport and the local businesses that donated food, water and hot coffee for the soggy but cheerful volunteers — Pizza Hut, MacKenzie River, The Wave, Subway, and Safeway.

The next electronics recycling event will be held at the Flathead County Fairgrounds in Kalispell on July 15 and is hosted by Citizens for a Better Flathead. Other events will follow in Missoula and Helena in the fall.

Susan Seaman

Dan Weinberg

Whitefish