Australia’s two on-farm chemical waste programs are lending a hand to those affected in the bushfires by assisting the clean-up of any agvet chemicals or containers damaged in the devastation.
So far more than 200 homes and about as many sheds across the country have been destroyed by raging fires in Victoria and NSW.
In Coonabarabran, NSW, more than 100 sheds on properties were caught in blazes, destroying equipment, tools and potentially stocks of agvet chemical.
ChemClear’s National Program Manager Lisa Nixon said many people will return to their properties not knowing what to do with the waste created by these devastating bushfires, which may include damaged chemical products.
“We’ve been told that there may be a considerable amount of agvet chemical that has been either destroyed or partially burnt during the fires and is virtually useless to farmers now,” she said.
ChemClear works by asking waste holders to register their unwanted chemicals with the program and secure them until the program can send a collection vehicle out to that region.
But Lisa said ChemClear will undertake to collect any chemical that is registered from bushfire areas as quickly as possible.
“As in other bushfire years ChemClear is committed to working with the government and emergency authorities to offer any assistance we can to ensure any potentially hazardous agvet chemical is located and secured for appropriate disposal,” she said.
“The big clean up begins when people start returning to their properties, if anyone comes across agvet chemicals that need a disposal route please contact us and we will work one on one with you to find an appropriate disposal solution.”
drumMUSTER sites are available to farmers wanting to deliver their empty agvet containers during any bushfire clean-up.
drumMUSTER National Program Manager Allan McGann said our regional teams will assist anyone impacted by the bushfires with their drum delivery disposal requirements.
“We’ll ensure that our operating sites are ready to accept any drums that may be delivered from any bushfire affected region,” he said.
“The last thing on their minds is what to do with their container waste, which is why we’ll be offering all the advice we can to authorities and residents once people can assess the damage.”
To find your local drumMUSTER site visit our website or call 1800 008 707.
To register your chemicals for ChemClear visit our website or call 1800 008 182.