Pesticides are a hazardous waste stream and should never be emptied down sink or drain. Pesticides should be handled through safe disposal programs and the containers recycled to help avoid environmental contamination.
Pesticides
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Pesticides
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Why Recycle?
Unwanted or leftover pesticides should never be poured down a sink or drain as this may result in the contamination of our waterways where pesticide residues are toxic to many living things. Pesticide containers not properly cleaned when placed in a landfill may also contaminate soils and groundwater. By disposing of pesticides properly through safe disposal programs and recycling pesticides containers, this environmental damage can be avoided.
Recycling Options
Chemicals: ChemClear is an industry-run product stewardship scheme that provides a safe collection and disposal service nationally for unwanted agricultural and veterinary chemicals. Registered chemicals that are produced by manufacturers who are part of the ChemClear scheme are collected free of charge. Other chemicals, including chemicals that are de-registered, out-of-date, mixed, unlabeled, unknown, or produced by a manufacturer not contributing to the stewardship program, can also be collected for a fee.
Chemical drums and containers: DrumMUSTER is the national program for the collection and recycling of empty, cleaned, non-returnable crop production and on-farm animal health chemical containers. Clean, empty containers that are free of any chemical residue can be delivered to one of over 700 collection sites across Australia.
What Happens When It’s Recycled?
Chemicals: Chemicals collected through ChemClear are disposed of responsibly.
Pesticide containers : Commercial recyclers are contracted by DrumMUSTER to collect and recycle the chemical containers. At the recycling plants, the plastic containers are sorted, shredded, granulated and heat-extruded. The extruded materials are manufactured into a variety of products such as recycled containers, wheelie bins, irrigation pipes, bollards, road signs and reflectors.
