Plastic packaging used to distribute seed and other cropping inputs can now be recycled through Agsafe’s bagMUSTER program. Photo: bagMUSTER

AGRICULTURAL stewardship organisation Agsafe has been named as the provider of the new bagMUSTER agricultural plastics recycling program.

The bagMUSTER program is led by CropLife Australia in partnership with the Australian Seed Federation.

CropLife Australia chief executive officer Matthew Cossey said Agsafe bagMUSTER has been named after a competitive selection process.

“As the existing service providers for CropLife’s industry stewardship programs drumMUSTER and ChemClear, Agsafe were clearly the front runners, able to demonstrate how their established infrastructure and community relationships could be augmented to effectively deliver bagMUSTER,” Mr Cossey said.

CropLife CEO Matthew Cossey.

“These programs were developed by CropLife more than 30 years ago and Agsafe has run them since that time and has developed expertise second to none in such programs.”

“Our strategic partnership with CropLife to deliver bagMUSTER is critical to supporting our members to meet their obligations in the Australian Packaging Covenant and the broader agricultural sector in its efforts to address the vitally important Recycling and Waste Reduction Act.”

Through bagMUSTER, collected bags will be processed in Australia.

“This will support efforts to boost recycling capability and technology development in Australia.”

Following a program pilot, bagMUSTER will be industry-funded.

“Companies who import, manufacture and supply bags or import pre-packaged products will contribute on a fee-for-service basis to minimise costs on the farming sector.”

ASF chief executive officer Katherine Delbridge said plastic packaging has an important role to play in Australian agriculture by protecting inputs like seed during transport and storage.

“Input industries therefore have an important role to play in ensuring the resulting plastic waste is recycled in an environmentally and socially responsible way.”

For more about bagMUSTER visit bagmuster.org.au

Source: bagMUSTER