With the half million drum milestone fast approaching in Tasmania, drumMUSTER is celebrating the significant contribution of two councils to the program.
The Northern Midlands Council operates waste transfer stations at Avoca, Campbell Town and Longford, and has recorded over 100,000 empty agvet chemical containers since their first collection in 2001.
Waste Management Officer at the Council, Jonathan Galbraith, said, “drumMUSTER provides a very important service for agricultural rate payers. On some days our transfer stations receive up to 600 chemical drums.”
Further north, Devonport City Council has collected over 50,000 containers at the Spreyton Waste Transfer Station since joining the program in 2000.
“From July to October alone I processed 1700 drums at the compound,” said Stuart Griffiths, adrumMUSTER inspector and the Waste Management Officer at Devonport City Council. “Drums are rarely turned away as chemical users in our area are familiar with the correct pre-delivery rinsing procedures – cleanliness standards are always high.”
There are 30 drumMUSTER collection sites in Tasmania so the program is easily accessible to chemical users.
“The past two years has seen a significant increase in the amount of drums being returned,” saiddrumMUSTER Tasmania Regional Consultant Andrew Winkler. “We now have 40,000–50,000 containers being recycled each year across the state, up from an average of 30,000 previously.”
“Northern Midlands and Devonport are two of the biggest sites in terms of collection numbers. They also support famers in a wider geographical region by providing feeder collection services in outlying areas.”
Ian Scutt, Chief Executive of Serve-Ag Pty Ltd, believes drumMUSTER has been well accepted and highly beneficial to the farming sector in Tasmania.
“Our intensive and diverse production systems coupled with quality assurance requirements mean that local drumMUSTER services are invaluable to our clients. The success of the program is a reflection of the farming community’s commitment to do the right thing by the environment, the clients they serve, and the community at large.”
drumMUSTER congratulates everyone who has made a contribution to the 411,000 containers collected so far in Tasmania, especially the local farmers who embrace the program as a normal practice in their day to day activities.
To find your nearest site, simply enter your postcode and state under ‘Collection locations’ on thedrumMUSTER website. A map will appear marked with the closest site in your area.
All containers presented at the collection site must meet the program’s cleanliness standards by being rinsed and free of any chemical residue.
For further information on the drumMUSTER program, contact Mr Winkler on 0405 633 410.
Jonathan Galbraith, Waste Management Officer at the Northern Midlands Council, with a certificate from drumMUSTER.