Five new drumMUSTER inspectors will start work in the Clarence Valley in NSW after a round of training in Grafton and Maclean this month.
Staff members at Grafton Landfill and Maclean Waste Transfer Station will inspect empty agvet chemical containers from farmers who return them.
Northern NSW Regional Consultant Phil Tucker said all drums need to be inspected to make sure they’re clean and ready to be recycled in a safe and environmentally friendly way.
“Following the training, staff are keen to provide every opportunity for local farmers to recycle their clean empty containers,” he said.
Maclean Site Supervisor Kim Madden said farmers looking to get rid of their empty agvet chemical containers can continue to return them throughout the week.
“The site has only received several deliveries over the last three months,” she said. “We’re hoping more chemical users bring in their drums and help do their bit for their land.”
“The Maclean Waste Transfer Station is open seven days a week and so is drumMUSTER. No bookings are required.”
Phil Tucker said the sites services local horticulturalists, cane growers and the livestock industry. He said it is now easier for farmers to recycle their drums after recent changes.
“Previously, deliveries had to be booked and scheduled around general waste recycling activities,” he said.
“Now farmers can return them during landfill opening hours. Farmers and other users with empty clean chemical drums should round up their drums and run them into the friendly staff at Maclean Transfer station.”
More than 12,000 drums have been collected and recycled in the region since 2001. That’s more than 13 tonnes of waste avoiding landfill.
Maclean Waste Transfer Station is open Monday to Friday 8am and 4pm and is located on Paperbark Drive.
Grafton Landfill is open Monday to Friday 7.30am to 3pm and is located on Armidale Road.
Remember to rinse all drums. Pierce metal drums to allow for better air-flow after rinsing. Plastic drums also need to have lids off before delivering.
Since 1999, drumMUSTER has collected more than 22 million drums nation-wide. That represents more than 27,000 tonnes of waste avoiding landfill.
Photos
Karen Roberts and Brad Hanna at MI Organics.
