You might think loading bags and boxes of clothes and toys and leaving them outside your local donation bin a harmless and charitable act, but Keep Australia Beautiful Vic (KABV), an environmental group combating littering and illegal dumping, would probably disagree.
Of all donations left outside charitable shops or recycling bins, KABV said 90 per cent end up in landfill.
Easter and other holiday periods are typically when the bulk of donations happen and KABV’s enforcement training manager Travis Finlayson said those primarily responsible for the waste are often well-meaning donors who unknowingly do the right thing.
“They have just completed their Easter clean-out and head to their favourite charitable or recycle outlet only to discover it is closed for the long weekend,” he said.
“Determined not to waste the trip, they place their donations neatly at the front entrance to the store.“
Without realising it, their donations are subsequently exposed to thieves, who turn a charitable display into a scattered and messy pile of litter, Mr Finlayson said.
“This often means those quality items are no longer saleable and most likely end up in landfill,” he said.
To reduce unnecessary waste, KABV has released a series of tips to educate the public and guarantee donations can go to those who need them.
The group recommends people from Melbourne’s north donate items during working hours and only passing on pieces that are clean, stain free and in good condition.
If a charity shop is closed, or recycling bins are brimming, hold on to your donations until the stores are open or the bins emptied.
“Let’s aim at diverting as much as we can from landfill this Easter,” Mr Finlayson said.
Fatima Halloum
