FOR many years, farmers and other agvet chemical users had few options for disposing used containers.
Consequently, they were dumped, buried or burnt.
Times have changed and growers and other users are aware of the potential uses of recyclable plastics, plus most QA food safety programs require growers demonstrate their commitment to environmental safety.
Enter Product Stewardship. A whole-of-life-cycle approach to ethical management of products, from the original manufacture though to use and end-of-life disposal.
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Agsafe's AgVet chemical product stewardship programs, drumMUSTER and ChemClear, divert used containers and obsolete chemicals from landfill, re-routing them into recycling and responsible disposal pathways that assist in keeping land and waterways safe.
Since drumMUSTER started operations in 1998, more than 37,000 tonnes of unwanted plastics have been diverted from landfill sites into recycling programs, which has saved Australian local councils a massive $33 million on landfill costs for waste management purposes.
There are more than 800 collection sites throughout Australia including more than 350 local council sites and over 130 community groups participate.
The programs are funded by an ACCC authorised levy which will become $0.06 per litre/kg from July 1 2019; the levy was originally set at $0.04 litre/kg in 1998 and this is the first increase in 20 years.
Plastics make up the majority of AgVet containers and those displaying the drumMUSTER logo, have a suitable recycling pathway aimed at reducing Australia's carbon emissions and conserving our resources.
Once the stored, empty, clean containers are collected, they are shredded and granulated, processed into pellets via heat extrusion, then re-used to make wheelie bins, fencing, pipes, bollards, road markers and public furniture.
Visit: www.drummuster.org.au or call 1800 008 707.
- Copy supplied by drumMUSTER.
