Donating to op shops

Many op shops and charity stores in the shire rely on donations from the community.

Residents who want to show their support for local organisations must follow the appropriate processes. Not doing so places unnecessary financial stress on not-for-profits and puts a strain on volunteers.

Did you know roughly one third of items donated to charity stores are not suitable for sale?

Council has partnered with op shops and charity stores to combat the issues of dumping unwanted items and rubbish.

Council encourages all residents to check before you donate to ensure your donation is wanted.

Common items that can't be accepted

Tips for donating

Please make your donation count by following these steps:

  • Check with your local op shop or charity store for what items they are currently accepting. Remember every store is different.
  • Only donate items that are in good condition, undamaged and clean.
  • Leave items in the designated drop off areas, during opening hours only (unless after hours donation bins are accessible).
  • Do not leave donations outside where they can be damaged by weather.

Find your local store/s

Many local op shops and charity stores can be found on the Australian OpShop Listing or on our Community and business directory.

Information and support for op shops and charity stores

Illegal dumping of unwanted items is a recurring issue for op shops and charity stores. This places unnecessary financial stress on not-for-profits and puts a strain on volunteers. Neighbouring businesses and residents can also be impacted by illegal dumping. 

Common types of illegal dumping:

  • The intentional dumping of items that cannot be resold. Usually occurs outside of store opening hours and is done to avoid paying disposal fees elsewhere.
  • Common items include: mattresses, e-waste (electronic waste), damaged clothes, large furniture in poor condition and general waste items.
  • Non-intentional dumping where community members are unaware of what each store finds acceptable. This can occur at anytime. 

It is estimated that roughly one third of items donated are not acceptable for sale.

Council support for illegal dumping issues

Council can support you and the community by partnering with op shops to stop dumping of illegal rubbish and unwanted items. Research shows that the collaboration between charity stores and Council is a key factor in the prevention of illegal dumping.

Support can be provided by our Resource Recovery Team through some of these measures:

  • Increased signage
  • Security cameras in common illegal dumping hot spots
  • Tools and resources, such as posters and flyers
  • Tip passes for Council resource recovery facilities to dispose of illegally dumped materials
  • Patrolling of site to issue warnings and increase awareness of regulations

What to do if you experience illegal dumping?

Refer to the Litter Prevention Kit(DOCX, 3MB) /Litter Prevention Kit(PDF, 1MB) for information and resources.

Call us on (03) 5422 0333 with your store’s details and a member of our Resource Recovery Team will contact you to discuss how we can best support you.

Have something that's damaged?

Our resource recovery facilities now offer a free recycling service for old and damaged textiles. Unwanted items in good condition should be donated to an op shop, this service is only for textiles which would have otherwise gone to landfill.

Have unwanted furniture?

Our Kyneton and Romsey resource recovery facilities have a resale shop which accepts items for resale at bargain prices, find out what's accepted.

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