Regional and rural Australia has become the testing ground for the drive to recycle more of the 45,000 tonnes of soft plastic used in agriculture every year.
From everything for the safe transport, use, and storage of agricultural products such as fertiliser, seed, grain, stock feed – and pet food.
CropLife Australia chief executive Matthew Cossey says of those 45,000 tonnes, barely 12 per cent is recycled.
Matthew says to tackle this growing challenge, a dedicated collection and recycling program is essential, particularly for hard-to-reach farming areas.
He says that’s what saw CropLife join the Australian Seed Federation earlier this month to launch bagMUSTER– the logical extension of the initial drumMUSTER strategy to collect and recycle plastic drums from farms.
“Bringing industry partners, participants, and stakeholders together, the launch marked a significant step forward in how the agricultural industry manages single-use plastic waste, “Matthew says.
“With the ambitious goal of ensuring 100per cent of collected bags are recycled right here in Australia,” he says.
Australia’s first industry-led collection and recycling program for soft plastic agricultural input bags, bagMUSTERa significant step towards sustainability in Australian agriculture and its potential to transform agricultural plastic waste management.
bagMUSTER is a stewardship initiative of CropLife but is delivered by Agsafe in partnership with the Australian Seed Federation to provide producers with a free collection and recycling solution for plastic pesticide, seed, and other agricultural product bags.
Phase 1 of the national rollout started in Victoria, with collection sites now opening across rural areas, offering producers an accessible and environmentally responsible disposal option.
Both bagMUSTER and drumMUSTER run in tandem with AgSafe’s ChemClear, which has become Australia's leading chemical waste management program.
Established in 2003, it has now removed more than one million litres of unused chemicals from farms across the country.
Since its launch, Matthew says ChemClear has been at the forefront of environmentally responsible chemical disposal, providing essential services to farmers and agricultural communities.
“It has consistently demonstrated its commitment to environmental stewardship by facilitating collections in each state and territory,” he says.
“The program's strategic approach involves conducting main state collections approximately every two years, ensuring regular opportunities for farmers to safely dispose of unused or obsolete AgVet chemicals.
“ChemClear's impact extends beyond routine collections, as the program has collaborated with farmers and state governments to provide specialised collections in the aftermath of natural disasters such as floods and cyclones.
“This initiative underscores ChemClear's dedication to supporting farmers during challenging times and minimising the environmental impact of hazardous chemical waste.”
As the bagMUSTER program expands nationally, CropLife Australia and Agsafe are seeking further government investment to accelerate implementation, ensuring greater environmental and recycling benefits for rural and regional Australia.
For more information on collection sites, participating retailers, or how to get involved, go to bagMUSTER.org.au
