Vinny's and The Salvation Army are asking Australians to avoid using their local op shops as rubbish disposals, in order to prevent charities spending millions in waste disposal.
An Alice Springs Salvation Army representative says that they have been spending more than $20,000 annually on waste disposal and that “items like second-hand mattresses with stains and rips, items like scratched tables and broken off legs are not helpful to [their] cause and... takes money away from [them] being able to help the communities.”
The public are urged to check the list of items that a charity store can legally accept before donating.