By Alesha Capone
Volunteers at a Werribee op shop say they are fed up with rubbish being dumped outside the store.
Rotary Fit4Use Store manager Lorry Rowe said a large amount of rubbish was left outside the Railway Avenue shop last Wednesday.
“It’s so unfair to use us as a dumping ground when what we are doing is helping the community,” Ms Rowe said.
The items dumped at the store included cardboard boxes and rubbish bags full of waste, damaged clothing, and several X-rays which had the patient’s name inscribed upon them.
Ms Rowe said the matter was made worse by people who had gone through the op shop’s bins, and the dumped rubbish, after it was left outside the shop.
She said rubbish was often dumped outside the shop, despite several signs which say “no dumping” and CCTV from nearby businesses covering the site.
“We end up spending quite a few thousand dollars to dispose of the dumped rubbish,” she said.
“I’m horrified at people’s mentality, to think that they can inconvenience us at a cost.”
Wyndham council’s economy, innovation and liveability director Peter McKinnon said dumping rubbish was never acceptable.”
“Council’s Waste and Litter Strategy includes strong targets for Wyndham, including putting an end to illegal rubbish dumping by 2040,” he said.
“We recently increased the number of hard waste collections available to households from two to three, making it easier for residents to get rid of any unwanted items.
“We also work hard to educate our community on the consequences of littering and dumping.”
