Sharlene Farrell, manager of Brookfield's Salvation Army shop, is calling for the community to come together to stop illegal dumping at Tauranga's op-shops. Photo / George Novak
Sharlene Farrell, manager of Brookfield's Salvation Army shop, is calling for the community to come together to stop illegal dumping at Tauranga's op-shops. Photo / George Novak
Tauranga charity stores are calling for help to stop people from dumping rubbish outside their premises every night.
Brookfield Salvation Army op-shop manager Sharlene Farrell said people left rubbish strewn across their driveway every night, leaving her team of volunteers to clean up in the morning.
She didn't mind homelesspeople or needy families searching through their bins for things that could be useful to them, but dreaded having to come back to the store in the early hours to tidy up, she said.
People were also setting donations alight, Farrell said.
"We have to come in at stupid hours of the night to put them out ... call the police, call the fire engine," she said.
These were only put up after her own signs were ripped down, Farrell said.
"We had cameras put up and installed, they've stolen those ... that's $5000 down the drain," she said.
"We can't beg the community. Unless the public gets together ... those that are able to do something about it, that's all we need."
Ōtūmoetai resident Nic Yardley said he once stopped in Brookfield New World for five minutes, and someone had dropped off two couches outside the Salvation Army shop while he was inside.
"It's constant, every day ... they're quite sneaky; they do it while the shop's closed," he said.
Rubbish dumped outside the Salvation Army shop in Brookfield. Photo / Nic Yardley
Farrell believed that families were coming to their store to dump rubbish because they couldn't afford to drive to the Maleme St or Te Maunga transfer stations.
"It's not just us that it's happening to," she said.
Assistant manager of the Fraser St Waipuna Hospice charity shop, Caron Carter, said dumping was worse around the New Year when people had a clear-out at home.
"It happens quite regularly on the weekends," she said.
She said often large items, such as lounge suites or bedroom furniture, were dumped outside the store, which cost a lot in both time and money to clear away.
"They're dumping here, and we're paying the dumping fees to get rid of it," she said.
Carter said people ignored the signs up outside the shop.
"If we've got security cameras and we're catching people, they need to be charged for our dumping fees ... a penalty, a fine, something. The cost should be put back on the person that's doing it."
Western Bay of Plenty area manager for St Vincent de Paul, Lorna Edlin, said while dumping had been an issue for their op-shops in the past, it had become less of a problem recently.
She said she had seen the rubbish dumped outside the Brookfield Salvation Army shop, however, which was "horrific".
"It is a problem ... we've been quite lucky," she said.
"We're inundated with donations, but the dumping isn't too bad."
Manager of Greerton's Centrepoint Opportunity Shop, Kate Heselden, said illegal dumping had gone down outside their shop since they took steps to combat it.
This included putting up sprinklers in front of the shop and leaving a chain across the entrance to the car park.
"But ... it's 50-50 in our clothing bins as to what is rubbish and what is worth us having," she said.
Malcolm Gibb, manager of sustainability and waste at Tauranga City Council, said the council provided a disposal fee waiver for charity and op-shops.
"This covers a specified amount of tonnage each month," he said.
"It applies to any charity or op shop within Tauranga, whether or not it's on private property."
He also said the council investigate illegal dumping and report to police where appropriate, including in cases of rubbish set alight.
In a media release, Tauranga City Council stated it spent more than $47,000 last year to remove 130 tonnes of illegally dumped items.
Murray Kliskey, team leader for waste contracts and compliance, said in the statement that January was peak time for illegal dumping.
"The more information and evidence we have about the incident, the easier it is to take enforcement action," he said.
A New Zealand Police spokeswoman refused to comment, referring queries to the local council.
