Providing a solution for the collection and recycling of empty chemical containers.
drumMUSTER is the national programme in Australia for the collection and recycling of eligible non-returnable crop production and animal health product chemical containers from manufacturers participating in the Industry Waste Reduction Scheme (IWRS) of which CropLife Australia is a partner.
A service established in 1998, drumMUSTER partners with local shire councils to host collection sites so users can safely get rid of their pre-cleaned containers and have them recycled. The programme has regional consultants working right across Australia with over 750 collection sites around the country.
drumMUSTER provides a solution to the problem of disposing of empty chemical containers. It is reportedly cleaner, safer and more cost effective than other disposal methods and it ensures that the Australian food safety standards are maintained.
drumMUSTER is a responsible way to dispose of farm chemical containers. By using the programme, chemical users are limiting both on-farm risk as well as risk to the environment. The programme meets the requirements of Quality Assurance programmes and Environmental Management Systems (EMS). Chemical users are provided with a receipt for all drums delivered to the programme.
In 13 years of operation, drumMUSTER has disposed of over 17 million chemical containers, which in turn translates to around 22,000 tonnes of re-usable materials. The programme has also saved more than 20,000 tonnes of material from landfill.