Current Issue: September/October 2009

The Northern PlainFacts electronic newsletter offers brief updates on research, personnel, and events from both the Agricultural Systems Research Unit and Pest Management Research Unit at NPARL, and includes contact names and information for those interested in further details. 
 

Montana ARS Lab Hosts Annual E-cycling Event                 Montana ARS Lab Hosts Annual E-cycling Event For the fifth year in a row, the USDA-ARS Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory in Sidney, MT hosted the community’s annual “E-rase your E-waste” recycling event Sept. 11-12th in the lab’s parking lot. This year, more than 19,700 pounds of e-waste was collected, the second highest total since the program began in this rural Montana community in 2005. NPARL Occupational Health and Safety Officer Jackie Couture, who initiated the first “E-rase your E-Waste” in her role as chair of the Richland County Local Emergency Planning Committee, was again co-chair of this year’s collection, and Sidney ARS was among the co-organizers along with the Richland County LEPC, Richland Opportunities, Inc., and the local Richland County Retired Seniors Volunteer Program. This year’s event also received significant financial support from several area businesses and government entities, who contributed matching funds to help reduce costs for participating individuals and businesses. The event also received promotional support from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, which has adopted the group’s slogan and logo for use in their own statewide e-cycling program. In addition to the nearly 10 tons of obsolete electronics collected for recycling at Sidney, MT, neighboring Williston, ND also collected an additional 15,000 plus pounds at their companion event, to bring the final tally to more than 17 tons for 2009. For the past three years the two cross-border communities have shared a weekend; an e-cycler, and promotional efforts for the annual recycling collection.   (Jackie Couture, 406.433.9422, jackie.couture@ars.usda.gov) (Beth Redlin, 406.433.9427, beth.redlin@ars.usda.gov)

Back to the Top