drumMUSTER
NetWaste member Councils run drumMUSTER programmes to recover non-returnable farm chemical containers throughout the region. These collections are either carried out by a single operator, contracted to NetWaste or by the Council through individual agreements with Agsafe.
What is drumMUSTER?
drumMUSTER is the national program for the collection and recycling of non-returnable crop production and animal health product chemical containers.
How did drumMUSTER come about?
drumMUSTER is an environmental initiative developed by the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) together with the National Farmers' Federation (NFF), the National Association for Crop Production and Animal Health (CropLife Australia & Animal Health Alliance) and the Veterinary Manufacturers and Distributors Association (VMDA).
What does drumMUSTER mean for Australia?
| The responsible use of chemicals, and waste management initiatives, means a cleaner environment for the community as a whole. Involvement will add to Australia's 'Clean and Green' image and help to strengthen our trading position. |  |
| Recycling of containers through drumMUSTER sees resource recovery at its best, with the plastic and steel from chemical containers going into recycled products that the community uses in everyday life. |  |
What does drumMUSTER mean for Australian farmers?
drumMUSTER provides a solution to the problem of disposing of empty chemical containers. It is cleaner, safer and more cost effective.
What does drumMUSTER mean for Australian Councils?
drumMUSTER provides an economic solution to the disposal problem for Councils and as a result means fewer containers going to landfill. The program helps reduce unsafe disposal methods that have previously put the community at risk.
What does drumMUSTER mean for Australian Councils?
- Farm chemical users pay a four cent per litre or kilogram levy when they purchase eligible chemical products.
- This levy is used to reimburse participating Councils for the costs associated with running a drumMUSTER collection.
- Farm chemical users flush, pressure rinse or triple rinse containers as they become empty, and then store them (cleaned) in preparation for a drumMUSTER collection.
- Farm chemical users bring their eligible containers into drumMUSTER collection centres on designated days.
- Containers are inspected, collected and subsequently processed for re-use or recycling.
Which containers are eligible for the drumMUSTER levy?
All non returnable rigid plastic and metal farm chemical containers over 1 litre or kilogram in declared content, that are used in the packaging of crop production and animal health products.
drumMUSTER does not include containers for petroleum products, or products that come from non-participating manufacturers. No levy will be charged on these products and they will not be accepted at a drumMUSTER Collection. For more information contact your local council.
Which containers are accepted at a drumMUSTER collection?
| Most chemical containers on which a levy has been charged should be labelled with the drumMUSTER eligible container logo (see right). |  |
If there is no sticker on a container, this could be because it pre-dates the drumMUSTER program (these are eligible for collection) or because no levy has been charged. If no levy is being charged this may be because the manufacturer has opted not to be a part of the program or because the container does not fall under the drumMUSTER eligibility criteria (these will not be eligible for collection)
Which containers will not be accepted at a drumMUSTER collection?
Every container will be inspected at a collection site before being accepted for recycling. Farm chemical users will be required to sign a declaration that the containers have been cleaned to the Agsafe Standards for Container Cleanliness. Containers will be rejected if they:
- have not been properly cleaned and drained inside and out (including the threads and caps) and have visible chemical residue
- are not eligible for drumMUSTER collection
drumMuster Collections
Councils that participate in drumMUSTER and their site locations:
| Bathurst Regional Council | Bathurst City Tip | Bland Shire Council | West Wyalong Waste Depot |
| Blayney Shire | Blayney Landfill Depot | Blue Mountains City Council | Katoomba Council Depot |
| Bogan Shire Council | Nyngan Shire Depot | Bourke Shire Council | Bourke Waste Depot |
| Brewarrina Shire Council | Brewarrina Waste Depot | Cabonne Shire | Canowindra Waste Depot Manildra Waste Depot Eugowra Waste Facility Cumnock Waste Facility |
| Coonamble Shire | Coonamble Waste Depot | Cobar Shire Council | Cobar Waste Depot |
| Cowra Shire Council | Cowra Materials Recycling Centre Gooloogong Waste Depot |
Dubbo City | Wylandra Waste Depot JR Richards Depot - Dubbo |
| Forbes Shire | Daroobalgie Waste Depot | Gilgandra Shire Council | Gilgandra Waste Management Facility |
| Lachlan Shire Council | Condobolin - Old Abbatoir Lake Cargelligo Landfill |
Lithgow City | Lithgow Solid Waste Depot |
| Mid Western Shire Council | Mudgee Landfill Depot Gulgong Waste Depot Rylstone Waste Depot |
Narromine CDEP | Narromine Waste Depot |
| Oberon Shire Council | Oberon Waste Depot | Orange City | Orange Resource Recovery Centre |
| Parkes Shire | Parkes Waste Depot Peak Hill Waste Depot Trundle Waste Depot Tullamore Waste Depot |
Warrumbungle Shire | Coonabarabran Waste Depot |
| Warren Shire Council | Warren CDEP | Weddin Shire | Caragabal Waste Depot Grenfell Waste Depot |
| Wellington | Wellington Waste Depot |
For further information on this programme, please contact:
drumMUSTER
Ph: 1800 008 707
Web: http://www.drummuster.com.au
