Advertisement

Hold onto your clothes: Charity warns donation bins are becoming a ‘dumping ground’

Diabetes Canada suspended pickup from its donation bins last month due to COVID-19, but says people keep dropping items and garbage around them.
Diabetes Canada suspended pickup from its donation bins last month due to COVID-19, but says people keep dropping items and garbage around them. Courtesy / Diabetes Canada

Canadians who are using the novel coronavirus lockdown as a chance to do some spring cleaning are being asked to stop dropping items at some donation bins.

Diabetes Canada is one of the Canadian charities that stopped making pickups from the bins in March.

It says many of the bins are now overflowing, and are becoming a “dumping ground for well-meaning citizens.”

Click to play video: 'Coronavirus outbreak: Trudeau says business, charities, non-profits eligible for COVID-19 wage subsidy'
Coronavirus outbreak: Trudeau says business, charities, non-profits eligible for COVID-19 wage subsidy

“The current donations at the donation bins and, in some unfortunate instances the dumping of garbage at donation bins, is posing a serious health and safety issue,” said Diabetes Canada in an open letter.

Story continues below advertisement

Clothing recycler Green Inspiration is also asking people to hold off on donations at its bins during the pandemic.

The Salvation Army has also temporarily shuttered its donation centres, while Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver has suspended its clothing donation pickup service.

Sponsored content

AdChoices