Western Australian charities, Alinea Inc in partnership with Good Samaritan Industries and Anglicare WA, have secured more than $41,000 in funding to help reduce dumping at charitable recycling sites.
The funding is available through the Charitable Recyclers Dumping Reduction Program, and also enables research to inform better practices by charitable recyclers. Research findings are circulated through the National Association of Charitable Recycling Organisations – WA.
This is the second round of program funding and builds on findings from the first funding round. The successful applicants were:
- Alinea Inc in partnership with Good Samaritan Industries – $19,984 to install sensor lighting and optical surveillance equipment at four collection sites in the metropolitan area; and
- Anglicare WA – $21,875 to purchase and install ten high security donation bins at four sites in the metropolitan area.
The program assists charitable recyclers that divert used items from landfill and recover them for recycling and reuse. It aims to reduce illegal dumping and littering, and to prevent unusable items – which ultimately end up in landfill – being left at donation sites.
This funding is in addition to the State Government’s Charitable Recyclers Rebate program, which provides up to $250,000 in funding each year. Funding supports eligible charitable recyclers to reduce the substantial costs incurred in disposing of items deposited or illegally dumped at drop-off sites that cannot be reused or recycled.
For more information on these programs visit the Waste Authority’s website. To report illegal dumping, contact DWER’s Pollution Watch hotline on 1300 784 782.
As stated by Environment Minister Stephen Dawson:
“Illegal dumping and unusable donations are a widespread problem faced by charities. “This program not only helps reduce illegal dumping and littering through better surveillance and security, but also through ongoing research.
“Charitable recyclers welcome useful and resalable donations and are an example of recycling in action, yet they are often left with the unsightly and expensive problem of disposing of unusable or illegally dumped items at their sites.
“They also provide critical services across the Western Australian community and it is vital that every dollar they raise is spent on services, not on waste disposal.”
