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Broken electrical goods dumped at Salvos

Posted on October 7, 2008, 5:05pm and updated on October 8, 2008 at 1:27 pm ,  5 views

Mount Gambier’s Salvation Army shop has become a dumping ground for electronic waste, leaving the charity to foot the bill for recycling.

Since the City Council’s electronic waste ban from landfill was announced in August, many residents have avoided the fees charged for e-waste at the waste transfer centre by “donating” their broken machines to the shop on Caldwell Street.

Volunteer shop workers have patiently taken it on the chin, but residents’ long weekend cleaning sprees in and around the home yesterday morning left them disheartened when they faced a mountain of e-waste outside the shop.

“We cleaned out at 4pm on Monday, but by yesterday morning we were faced with heaps more,” a worker said.

“We will have to pay to have it recycled.”

Unwanted computers, printers, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, microwave ovens and other dumped household electrical equipment had to be sorted out and taken to the waste transfer centre.

Salvos Stores northern South Australia area manager Elaine Lebourn said although they welcomed the donation of electrical household goods, it was important they were in good working order.

“Electrical items have to be in good working order before they can be sold as it is illegal to sell electrical goods which do not work correctly,” Ms Lebourn said.

“We also pay a fee to have it tested for faults, which affects our profits.”

Mount Gambier Salvation Army core manager Major Stephen Black called on residents to take unwanted faulty or broken electrical items to the waste transfer centre and pay the fee.

“It is a matter of educating residents on what’s wrong or right,” he said.

Council’s operational services director Daryl Sexton expressed his disappointment.

“This is just not fair on the Salvos,” Mr Sexton said.

“The community’s generosity in donating to the Salvos is appreciated, but If people are not sure if the shop would accept certain goods, they should phone first and find out.”

Although seven tonnes of electronic waste was collected when Council held a successful one-day waste reduction day at a special rate at the transfer centre on August 17, illegal disposal of e-waste is still taking place.

Cr Des Mutton said many illegal items were still being found in recycling bins.

“As time moves on, the community needs to understand there will be tighter control on what material can go to landfill and the latest exclusion is e-waste,” Cr Mutton said.

ANELIA BLACKIE

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