New Policy To Clean Up Unsightly Bin Sites

Illawarra Mercury

Wednesday March 2, 2005

By ANTONY FIELD

CHARITY clothing bins have long been uninvited dumping grounds for people too lazy or ignorant to dispose of their rubbish properly but Wollongong City Council hopes to change all that.

The council has introduced a new policy to regulate the use, location and number of clothing bins on council land throughout the city.

In a report to the council on Monday, property manager Peter Coyte said the bins had been the source of many community complaints because of the items of garbage deposited around the bins on both public and private land.

He said the council acknowledged the significant income the bins generated for charities and was trying to address community concerns through the policy.

The policy requires charities to apply to the council to place a clothing bin on council land.

Only those organisations which are members of the National Association of Charitable Recycling Organisations or 100 per cent charity operators will gain approval.

Clothing bin licences will last for up to five years, are subject to an annual review and operators will be charged an annual $500 fee and a one-off licence fee of $289.

The council will require the bins to be emptied regularly and a 3m area around the bins to be kept neat and tidy at all times.

If rubbish is not removed the licence will be terminated.

Ward 3 councillor David Brown welcomed the new policy and said it would help prevent the bins from becoming suburban tips.

"People need to know that they are not general dumping grounds. Some have become disaster areas, with the rubbish blocking footpaths," he said. Cr Brown said some councils had banned the bins and a few charities had stopped using them because of the cost of rubbish removal.

Signs will be be put up near the bins to indicate what items can be deposited and warning of $200 fines for littering.

"I'm glad that council has been able to work this through with charity groups and I urge residents to do the right thing and not leave general rubbish," Cr Brown said.

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EDITORIAL Charities hurt by litterbugs, Page 20

© 2005 Illawarra Mercury

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