❓ The WA government is piloting a program to support charities in addressing illegal dumping at donation bins, including financial assistance, landfill levy rebates, and increased surveillance, aiming to reduce the financial burden on charities and deter illegal dumping.
AnsweredQoN 710Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CHARITABLE
COLLECTION BINS
710. Mr C.D. HATTON to the
Minister for Environment:
The Liberal–National government has taken a tough
stance against illegal dumping with increased penalties and surveillance
programs, but I am aware that it remains a significant problem for charities at
their charity bins. Can the minister advise the house what the government is
doing to help deal with this problem?
COLLECTION BINS
710. Mr C.D. HATTON to the
Minister for Environment:
The Liberal–National government has taken a tough
stance against illegal dumping with increased penalties and surveillance
programs, but I am aware that it remains a significant problem for charities at
their charity bins. Can the minister advise the house what the government is
doing to help deal with this problem?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Balcatta for the question. Last week,
I was able to announce—in his electorate, actually—that the
Liberal–National government will pilot a new program that is
specifically focused on charitable collection bins, such as Good Sammy's
bins, or a range of other charities. The program will be under a better
practice program for charity bins. It will provide financial support to those
charities that implement these measures in order to reduce incidences of
illegal dumping at their premises. Illegal dumping of unwanted goods at
charitable premises, and also at these bins, is a significant and growing problem.
In some instances, it is deliberate illegal dumping, if you like, but in others
it is inappropriate dumping of material by people who are not aware of what
type of material is inappropriate to dump at charity bins. This program will
take effect next year and will include grants for those charity organisations
to implement measures such as lighting for the charity bins; fencing in some
instances, if required; and also an educational program, to not only discourage
illegal dumping, but also better inform people about what are appropriate goods
or items to donate through these charity bins.
Significantly, the government will also provide landfill levy
rebates to all of these charities for items that are collected through those
bins that they then have to ultimately dispose of into landfill. This program
will also be complemented by a new specific illegal dumping task force that is
being developed through the Department of Environment Regulation. It will
patrol dumping hotspots at not only at charity bins, but also other locations,
particularly on the urban fringe, such as some I know of in the member for
Wanneroo's electorate. As well as patrolling, new self-contained
electronic surveillance camera systems will be used. They could be anywhere. We
will pursue illegal dumpers particularly strongly. The illegal dumping of
unwanted goods at charitable premises is a significant problem. In addressing
this issue, this program will relieve a significant financial burden for
not-for-profit organisations. In many cases, this amounts to many thousands of
dollars a year that is currently an impost on those charities. That money would
otherwise be used for people or causes in the greatest need in the community.
Quite simply, illegal dumping at charity bins robs funds from people who need
it the most.
I also take this opportunity to remind people who flout the
law under the Litter Act that recent increased penalties for littering now mean
on-the-spot fines of up to $500 for individuals and up to $2 000 for
corporations. If we elevate the offence from littering to illegal dumping,
which is an offence under the Environmental Protection Act, penalties now range
from a maximum of $62 500 dollars for an individual and $125 000 for a body
corporate.
Moving back to the charity bins program, the state government
looks forward to proactively working with those charities that do an amazing
job across the Western Australian community and assisting them with those
charitable donation bins in any way that it can.
I was able to announce—in his electorate, actually—that the
Liberal–National government will pilot a new program that is
specifically focused on charitable collection bins, such as Good Sammy's
bins, or a range of other charities. The program will be under a better
practice program for charity bins. It will provide financial support to those
charities that implement these measures in order to reduce incidences of
illegal dumping at their premises. Illegal dumping of unwanted goods at
charitable premises, and also at these bins, is a significant and growing problem.
In some instances, it is deliberate illegal dumping, if you like, but in others
it is inappropriate dumping of material by people who are not aware of what
type of material is inappropriate to dump at charity bins. This program will
take effect next year and will include grants for those charity organisations
to implement measures such as lighting for the charity bins; fencing in some
instances, if required; and also an educational program, to not only discourage
illegal dumping, but also better inform people about what are appropriate goods
or items to donate through these charity bins.
Significantly, the government will also provide landfill levy
rebates to all of these charities for items that are collected through those
bins that they then have to ultimately dispose of into landfill. This program
will also be complemented by a new specific illegal dumping task force that is
being developed through the Department of Environment Regulation. It will
patrol dumping hotspots at not only at charity bins, but also other locations,
particularly on the urban fringe, such as some I know of in the member for
Wanneroo's electorate. As well as patrolling, new self-contained
electronic surveillance camera systems will be used. They could be anywhere. We
will pursue illegal dumpers particularly strongly. The illegal dumping of
unwanted goods at charitable premises is a significant problem. In addressing
this issue, this program will relieve a significant financial burden for
not-for-profit organisations. In many cases, this amounts to many thousands of
dollars a year that is currently an impost on those charities. That money would
otherwise be used for people or causes in the greatest need in the community.
Quite simply, illegal dumping at charity bins robs funds from people who need
it the most.
I also take this opportunity to remind people who flout the
law under the Litter Act that recent increased penalties for littering now mean
on-the-spot fines of up to $500 for individuals and up to $2 000 for
corporations. If we elevate the offence from littering to illegal dumping,
which is an offence under the Environmental Protection Act, penalties now range
from a maximum of $62 500 dollars for an individual and $125 000 for a body
corporate.
Moving back to the charity bins program, the state government
looks forward to proactively working with those charities that do an amazing
job across the Western Australian community and assisting them with those
charitable donation bins in any way that it can.
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