KALIANNA is sending a skip full of rubbish to the tip each fortnight as people dump trash and unwanted goods at the charity’s donation bins.
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St Vincent de Paul Society has removed its bins from their Wodonga and Wangaratta locations in a bid to wipe out the rubbish dumping.
Kalianna chief executive Oscar Gentner said people were not accidentally leaving unsuitable goods, rather they were dumping waste.
“I think the people who are dumping know exactly what they’re doing,” he said.
“It’s not hard to see if there is value in a product.
“For example, we might get a bike dropped off that doesn’t have wheels or clothing with great big tears in it.”
St Vincent de Paul Society said it was forced to remove its bins in Wod-onga and Wangaratta due to rubbish dumping, opting to allow people to make in-store donations.
The charity has also removed its bins from outlying Albury locations.
The Salvation Army spends $6 million annually disposing of waste and goods that can’t be sold.
Mr Gentner said Kalianna was regularly forced to take rubbish to Albury tip.
“It still costs us money and there’s also the inconvenience of people having to go and pick it up,” he said.
“We had an instance in the past month where a local cafe operator dumped waste items — half a bin full — into one of our yellow bins.
“It was plastic boxes and bags full of waste.
“It’s very frustrating.”
St Vincent de Paul Albury south west retail area manager Alan Dickens said 50 to 60 per cent of donations made to the charity were unsuitable.
“We’ve had live chooks that have been cut in half and bled out in the bins, cola poured all over the bin donations, lawn clippings and dog faeces,” he said.
“That’s why all of our volunteers wear gloves.”
Mr Gentner said he did not want to stop people from donating suitable goods.
“We’re very grateful for the community support,” he said.
