City Services is to meet with the charity sector and other interested organisations to discuss the future of textile recycling in the ACT following the closure of charity bins across the ACT.
Minister for City Services, Chris Steel said the decision was made to remove the licences of all charity bins located on public land throughout Canberra after the continued illegal dumping of goods by local residents.
“Despite a range of measures to address the problem, including CCTV and improved compliance, some Canberrans are still continuing to dump goods next to bins, leaving our city untidy,” Mr Steel said.
“It’s unfair for the charities to have to clean up these dump sites so they have been withdrawing these services.”
He said the availability of charity workers in managing the bins during the COVID-19 public health emergency was also a contributing factor to the bin closures.
“Following the public health emergency we will seek to meet with the charity sector and other interested organisations to work on the future of textile recycling in the ACT,” Mr Steel said.
“This will involve identifying alternative collection points in the future as well as looking to improve textile recycling beyond what is already available in the ACT.”
He said the Bulky Waste collection scheme due to start later this year could take some items accepted in charity bins or illegally dumped around them.
“I thank Canberrans for their understanding this disruption to the recycling industry as we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic together,” Mr Steel said.
“We remain committed to continued collaboration with the charity sector as we work to ensure there are ample opportunities for the reuse and recycling of unwanted items, particularly clothing,” he said.
