Everything you need to know about donating pre-loved goods
Charity shops all around Australia are preventing quality goods from going to waste. They save around one million tonnes of products from being sent to landfill in Australia each year.1 That’s around 39kg per person per year!
Every year, charities spend around $13 million to send 60,000 tonnes of unusable donations to landfill.2 This is because the donated items are worn out, broken or dirty and can therefore not be reused. Make sure your donation is clean and in good condition before you donate it.
Follow the golden rule for donations:
If you would gift it to a friend or family member, then it’s in good enough condition to donate.
What can I donate?
Note: The below information is a general guide that may not apply to all charity shops. Always contact the charity shop in advance to make sure they will accept your donation.
MOST charities will accept:
SOME bigger charities will accept these bulky items:
Most charities will accept these in NEW CONDITION ONLY:
Environmental benefits
Buying or donating second-hand items is a great way to do your bit for the environment – it keeps materials is use and prevents new materials from being extracted from the earth to make new products.
‘Reuse’ is at the top of the waste hierarchy, under ‘reduce’ but higher up than ‘recycle’. Generally, the higher up the waste hierarchy, the bigger the positive impact on our environment.
Reusing things is good for the environment because it keeps our valuable resources and materials in use and out of landfills. Every time you reuse, share, borrow or buy second-hand, you’re reducing the need to make new products. And that reduces our consumption of water, energy, fuel, natural resources and greenhouse gas emissions.
Charity shops have a significant impact on reducing waste, but there also has social and economic benefits to reusing things. The charitable recycling sector generates almost $1 billion every year and employs more than 5,000 full-time workers. Another 33,000 volunteer their time to provide the service to their communities.1
Aussie op shops
Charitable Reuse Australia is the national network of charitable purpose-driven reuse and recycling enterprises. It represents the collective interests of charity and social enterprise retailers through advocacy, capacity-building and education.
For more information about charity donations, visit the below websites:
· GiveNow
· Lifeline
· Salvos
· Vinnies
References
1Charitable Reuse Australia 2021 Impact Report
2Charitable Reuse Australia – Charities spending millions on waste
