drumMUSTER is Australia’s leading agricultural stewardship program. For over 20 years, drumMUSTER has led the way in promoting environmental sustainability within the agricultural sector. The program has been dedicated to collecting and recycling empty agricultural chemical containers. Farmers and growers across the country have been dropping drop off their used, triple rinsed eligible drums at one of 830+ designated collection sites, where they are processed for recycling into wheelie bins, road signs, fence posts, and bollards. We now have a new initiative that is recycling these chemical drums back into new AgVet chemical drums.
A circular solution for chemical drums
Agsafe have recently partnered with Pact Group, marking a significant advancement in sustainability efforts. Pact, a leader in the packaging and recycling industry, is committed to creating a circular economy. Their expertise in reprocessing plastics and manufacturing sustainable packaging aligns with drumMUSTER’s mission to enhance product stewardship in agriculture.
Through this partnership, the drumMUSTER Drums-to-Drums initiative is now recycling collected chemical drums back into new AgVet chemical drums. This end-to-end recycling process provides a sustainable solution that reduces waste and conserves resources. Here’s how it works:
- Purchase: Farmers and growers purchase agricultural chemicals.
- Use: Farmers and growers use their chemicals for their agricultural activities.
- Clean: After the contents have been used, farmers and growers triple rinse their drums and remove their lids.
- Collection: Farmers and growers deliver their empty, triple rinsed chemical drums to one the 830+ drumMUSTER collection points.
- Processing: Some of the collected drums are transported to Pact’s recycling facilities.
- Recycling: At the Pact facilities, the drums are shredded, cleaned, and processed into high-quality plastic resins.
- Manufacturing: These recycled resins are used to manufacture new AgVet chemical drums, using up to 30% recycled material, completing the circular loop.
- Reselling: Manufacturers use the newly manufactured chemical drums to continue selling their AgVet chemicals.
Recycled AgVet chemical drums will continue to bear the ‘drumMUSTER eligible container’ logo which means they can be recycled through the drumMUSTER program like other eligible chemical drums.
Benefits for the agricultural industry
The drumMUSTER Drums-to-Drums initiative brings several benefits to the agricultural industry.
- Environmental impact: Recycling chemical drums into new ones significantly reduces waste destined for landfills and decreases the environmental footprint of the agricultural sector.
- Resource efficiency: This process conserves raw materials and energy, promoting more efficient use of resources.
- Sustainable practices: Farmers and growers now participate in a circular economy, contributing to a sustainable future through this innovative recycling program.
- Community safety: Proper disposal and recycling of chemical containers ensure that harmful residues do not contaminate the environment, protecting public health and safety.
By transforming used chemical drums into new ones, we are closing the loop and setting a new standard for environmental responsibility in the agricultural industry. Together, we are working towards a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable future.
As part of the drumMUSTER Drums-to-Drums initiative, Pact aims to remanufacture up to 1,000,000 chemical drums annually into new chemical drums, reducing waste and conserving resources. Join us in this important effort by recycling your chemical drums with drumMUSTER and contributing to a circular economy that benefits everyone.