The push to remove potentially dangerous clothing donation bins gained steam on Thursday in the wake of the death of a 34-year-old man in a West Vancouver bin on Monday.
The death, which happened in Ambleside Park, was the fifth in the region since 2015.
On Thursday, special needs-focused non-profit Inclusion BC said it had decided to pull its 146 donation bins from across the province after an emergency meeting on the matter.
“We will continue to work with our bin manufacturer, municipal authorities, design experts and community partners to formalize and promote the adoption of industry-wide safety standards to keep our communities safe,” the group said in a media release.
WATCH: West Vancouver clothing bin ban to be in place until safer design is found
“These are just initial steps towards ensuring public safety while we continue working with our partners, communities and other charities that rely on this fundraising model to find satisfactory solution to broader and complex issues.”
In 2018, Inclusion BC asked University of British Columbia mechanical engineering students to work with its manufacturer to develop a safer bin design, and it said those modifications are now in a prototype phase.
The City of Vancouver also released a statement on Thursday saying 90 per cent of the more than 100 donation bins across the city had been removed, with the remainder to be pulled this year.
WATCH: B.C. records fifth clothing donation bin death since 2015
The city had asked operators to remove the bins by the end of November after a woman became trapped in one and died in July 2018.
Vancouver is also reviewing a ban on the bins on private property.
The City of Langley said Thursday that it has banned outdoor donation bins since 2016.
The District of West Vancouver announced Wednesday that it was temporarily closing all donation bins until safer alternatives can be put in place.