drumMUSTER provides an easy, environmentally-friendly way of disposing empty farming chemical containers across rural Australia. 

The first drumMUSTER collection was held at Gunnedah in May 1999. 

The drumMUSTER and ChemClear are stewardship programs of Agsafe funded by an ACCC authorised levy. AgStewardship is responsible for collection and governance of the ACCC authorised levy; its members are CropLife Australia, Animal Medicines Australia Limited, Veterinary Manufacturer's and Distributors Association and the National Farmers Federation.

The drumMUSTER containers are collected and transported by our approved team of processors and delivered to materials recovery centres where they are recycled into items such as wheelie bins, fence posts and garden stakes. 

Disposing of empty agvet chemical containers in the right way is crucial to the reputation and sustainability of the agricultural industry in Australia. By using the drumMUSTER recycling program you can turn your unwanted containers into useful, sustainable products rather than having them placed into landfill or building up on farm.

As of 2023, over 42 million containers have been recycled through the program. There are over 825 drumMUSTER collection sites available across Australia where you can bring in your empty, clean eligible AgVet chemical containers to be collected, processed and recycled. 

drumMUSTER provides a full cradle to grave waste cycle for agvet chemical containers, enabling the re-use of the recycled plastic and steel.

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.

Plastic after the shredding process

Plastic is pelletised for use in other plastic products

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. Manufacturers signing a participation agreement must include Hazardous products in the program. Containers not displaying this logo may be from non-participating manufacturers and will not be accepted into the program.