Australia’s longest-running agricultural waste management program has reached a significant milestone, with the collection of its 40-millionth AgVet chemical container for recycling.

This equates to over 44,000 tonnes of plastic agricultural waste that would otherwise have been sent to landfill or have been burnt or buried on farms.

Agsafe’s drumMUSTER program, which held its first collection in 1999 at Gunnedah, is an end-of-life product stewardship program that has already saved councils an impressive $39 million in landfill costs, by diverting eligible, empty containers to recycling schemes.

Agsafe’s general manager Dominique Doyle says drumMUSTER was one of the first product stewardship programs established in Australia.

“It is now internationally recognised as a leading example of how the agricultural industry and individual farmers and communities can work together to provide a recycling pathway for AgVet chemical containers," she said.

It is through collaborative efforts that Australia’s oldest product stewardship program continues its success, with 831 collection sites operated by 356 councils and over 107 other community-based collection agencies around the country.

Community groups that take part in the program are able to raise much needed funds for their communities through the inspection of drums as they enter the collection sites for recycling.

To date, over $5m has been raised through the program for such community groups.

“As a voluntary program, the drumMUSTER product stewardship program has adapted to fit the needs of councils, farmers, retailers and manufacturers of the chemicals” Ms Doyle says.

"We have a flexible approach to collections, this includes engaging with over 100 community organisations to not only maximise collections, but also provide great fund-raising opportunities." 

So remember to rinse them out, round them up and run them in to your local drumMUSTER site.