Sunshine residents are calling for more action against people who dump rubbish around charity bins.
Resident Kathy Kourouklis took to social media to condemn excessive dumping in front of the Wayside Bargain Centre, a Lantara UnitingCare op-shop.
Ms Kourouklis said she was fed up with mountains of rubbish and old items piled in front of the Withers Street store.
“It needs to be brought to people’s attention that they can’t just dump anything there,” Ms Kourouklis said. “Something needs to be done.”
Ms Kourouklis said driving past the mess made her “tummy turn”. She said she saw people scavenging through items and ripping bags open.
“It makes me upset even more when I see the poor volunteers Monday morning working hard to clear up the junk.”
Lentara UnitingCare chief executive Ann-Maree Colborne said dumping rubbish was illegal and urged residents to dispose of hard rubbish responsibly.
“It is very disappointing,” she said.
Ms Colborne said Lentara UnitingCare had installed CCTV cameras to monitor the premises and new strategies are being looked at. They also liaise with Brimbank council and Victoria police, she said.
Brimbank infrastructure and environment director Paul Younis said the council spent about $550,000 a year clearing dumped rubbish. Illegal dumping can be reported on 9249 4000.
Yasemin Talat
