Recycling effort drums up support

REGIONAL farmers have been commended for their efforts with environmental program drumMUSTER which offers an eco-friendly way to dispose of empty chemical containers.

The campaign’s Victoria and southwest New South Wales regional consultant has singled out one local site in particular.

“Bendigo has always been a great supporter of the program,” he said. “The City is doing a great job at its Goornong Transfer Station.”

The stewardship program has been running since 1999 and helps farmers dispose of chemical drums in a safe manner rather than being buried or sent to landfill.

City of Greater Bendigo transfer station coordinator Mick Aylett said it wasn’t the first time the region had been praised for its efforts in the program.

“The City of Greater Bendigo was nominated as top collector at Australia’s site finals in Brisbane in 2019,” he said.

“Since 1999, 40 million drums have been collected in Australia. Which is 45,000 tons of plastic saved from landfill.

“We collect approximately 15,000 drums a year here at our sites.”

Outside of Goorong, there are also sites at Eaglehawk and Heathcote within the municipality where the drums can be dropped off.

“The farmer comes in or the customer brings the product or drums to the collection sites,” Mr Aylett said.

“They have to be triple rinsed so there is no residue in the drum. They’re stored in a cage and we do all our paperwork. How many drums? How many litres?

“When our cages get full, we ring the processor, who will come pick up the drums, or nowadays, a lot of times they will bring a processing shredder and they’ll shred it on-site into little flakes.”

The drums are then recycled into different everyday plastic items.

“They get made into things like concrete mesh reinforcements that are used in the building industry,” Mr Aylett said.

“The recycled material also goes towards bollards, plastic benches and plastic posts that farmers are starting to use now.”

Wheelie bins, irrigation pipes and underground cable covers are just some of the other products made from the recycled drums.