MISSOULA — The Western Montana Fair ended up diverting 82% of its waste from the landfill this year, well on the way to the fair’s goal of diverting 90% of its waste.
A total of 74% of waste from the fair was diverted from the landfill in 2023, and this year that number jumped up to 82%. They were able to make that 8% jump largely thanks to Home ReSource’s help.
The majority of the waste that is diverted is waste that is compostable — think food, packaging made out of plants as well as certain paper products.
Besides the compost, the fair also diverts aluminum cans and other aluminum products from the landfill sending them to a recycling facility instead.
While the fair is proud of diverting 82%of its waste this year, they have the ultimate goal of diverting 90% of its waste, qualifying it for a “zero waste event”.
“The Western Montana Fair is one of the biggest events in the state. And so, you know, if we can divert 90% of that that is a huge success and we’re really looking forward to the future on that” said Mason Parker, the zero waste systems manager at Home ReSource.
The diversion process itself is rather labor intensive, with a “green team” going around during the fair helping sort waste.
So when you’re at the fair next year, you can help it reach its 90% goal by properly sorting your waste into the proper bin as you go to throw it away.
The following information was provided by Missoula County:
"During the week-long event, a total of 58,830 pounds of waste were diverted from landfills. This includes 6,780 pounds of recycling and a remarkable 52,050 pounds of compostable materials. The composting efforts alone accounted for 73% of the total waste, underscoring the fair's emphasis on eco-friendly practices."
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"The 2024 Western Montana Fair also saw record-breaking attendance with 110,600 visitors, further demonstrating the fair's growing popularity. Financial gains were strong across all categories, with concessions grossing $918,594, the carnival bringing in $899,082, and sponsorship dollars doubling."
