Charitable recyclers in Western Australia can now apply for a rebate to help recover some of the cost of disposing unusable donations that have been dumped at charitable clothing bins. Environment Minister Albert Jacob said the Charitable Recyclers Rebate program would provide an estimated $300,000 annually to eligible charitable recyclers to meet the cost of the landfill levy.
Mr. Jacob said the program recognised the substantial costs charities incurred to dispose of household goods that could not be reused or recycled.
“Charitable recyclers provide an essential community service to West Australians in need, however they are often left with an unsightly and expensive problem,” Mr. Jacob commented “Many unusable and unrecyclable items are dropped off at clothing recycling bins with good intentions, however a lot of waste dumped illegally at these locations needs to be removed. This waste has the potential to cause health hazards and environmental harm, and also attracts antisocial or low-level crime activities. It also costs the charity $60 a tonne to take to a landfill site, and this is money they could spend on helping needy people.”
Mr. Jacob explained that the Charitable Recyclers Dumping Reduction Program will be launched later this year. This program will help fund charitable recyclers to implement measures such as improved lighting, fencing and educational material, to reduce illegal dumping of unusable items at bins and premises.
Information on how to safely dispose of unwanted household goods