Proper disposal of horticultural chemicals is crucial for several reasons:

Environmental Protection

1. Preventing Pollution: Improper disposal of chemicals can lead to soil, water, and air pollution. These substances can seep into the ground, contaminating groundwater and nearby water bodies, which can harm aquatic life and disrupt ecosystems.
2. Reducing Toxicity: Some chemicals can remain in the environment for long periods, accumulating and causing long-term damage to plants, animals, and microorganisms.

Human Health and Safety

1. Preventing Exposure: Incorrect disposal methods can expose humans to toxic substances, leading to health issues such as respiratory problems, skin irritations, and more severe conditions like poisoning or long-term diseases.
2. Protecting Workers: Ensuring safe disposal practices protects workers handling these chemicals, reducing the risk of accidents and exposure.

Legal and Regulatory Compliance

1. Adhering to Laws: Australia has strict regulations regarding the disposal of hazardous waste. Non-compliance can result in legal penalties, fines, and damage to the organisation's reputation.
2. Following Best Practices: Proper disposal aligns with industry standards and best practices, showcasing the organisation's commitment to safety and environmental stewardship.

Economic Considerations

1. Cost Management: Avoiding fines and remediation costs associated with improper disposal can save the business money in the long run.
2. Sustainable Practices: Demonstrating responsible waste management can enhance the business's reputation, potentially attracting more customers and partners who value sustainability.

Chemical Collection and Disposal Service

ChemClear® is a not-for-profit chemical collection and disposal service for unwanted and unknown AgVet chemicals.

Collecting unwanted AgVet chemicals:

The program contributes to the  ongoing sustainability of Australia’s  food and agricultural industries,  ensuring unwanted chemicals are collected and disposed of in a safe  and responsible manner. The appropriate collection and  disposal of these chemicals minimises their impact on the environment if otherwise left unattended. The service ensures these possible environmental contaminants are retrieved and in turn reduces waste and the possibility of residual contamination. ChemClear requires users of AgVet chemicals to identify the chemicals they are using and storing, assess the chemicals that need disposing of and register them for the next ChemClear collection in their shire council area.

Classifications:

• Group 1 chemicals are collected FREE* under the program. These chemicals are currently registered AgVet chemicals manufactured under the Industry Waste Reduction Stewardship initiative.
• Group 2 chemicals are those chemicals that are no longer registered, unknown, unlabelled, out of date, or mixed AgVet chemicals. A fee per L/kg applies for disposal unless a state governement subsidy is in place.

There are only six steps to the program:

• Step 1: Take an Inventory of your unwanted AgVet chemicals including: • manufacturer’s name • product name • container size • number of containers • estimation of remaining chemical in container • container integrity. The ChemClear form can be found here. 
• Step 2: Register them for collection @  www.chemclear.org.au or  Free call 1800 008 182. 
• Step 3: Continue to store your registered chemicals safely and securely. 
• Step 4: ChemClear will contact you directly to advise the location of the collection point for retrieval and provide a quotation for any Group 2 chemicals registered for collection. 
• Step 5: Prepare chemicals for delivery to collection site.
• Step 6: Deliver your chemicals to the advised collection site in your area.
  
  For more information visit ChemClear here.

Chemical Container Disposal

drumMUSTER provides an easy, environmentally friendly way of disposing of empty farming chemical containers across rural Australia. drumMUSTER is specially designed for the disposal of eligible, cleaned AgVet chemical containers. drumMUSTER collects eligible non-returnable metal or plastic containers where the capacity of the container is at least 1L/Kg but not greater than 205L/Kg of declared content in the packaging of crop production and animal health products used for:

• agricultural and livestock production
• industrial and recreational pest and weed control
• forestry
• household pest control operations
• similar activities conducted by government authorities.

Participating manufacturers are identified by the inclusion of the eligible drumMUSTER container logo on their eligible containers. The logo can be displayed on the chemical label, embossed into the container wall or applied as a sticker to the container. Containers not displaying this logo may be from non-participating manufacturers and will not be accepted into the program.

This logo indicates that the product is eligible under the drumMUSTER program.

Manufacturers signing a participation agreement must include Hazardous products in the program.

The inclusion of non-hazardous products by the supplier/manufacturer participating in our program is voluntary and at the discretion of any participating manufacturer or supplier.

AgVet chemicals eligible under drumMUSTER:

Eligible hazardous chemicals include:

• Insecticides
• Nematicides
• Plant Growth Regulators
• Fungicides
• Miticides
• Animal Health Products
• Seed Dressings
• Rodenticides
• Paraciticides, internal & external
• Defoliants
• Anthelmintics
• Herbicides

Eligible non-hazardous chemicals include:

• Surfactants
• Wetting Agents
• Spreaders
• Stickers
• Foam Markers
• Spray Markers
• Dye
• Spray Oils
• Liquid Fertilisers
• Farm Disinfectants

For more information on the drumMUSTER program click here or to find a collection point click here.