The Charitable Recyclers Dumping Reduction Program (DRP) provided support between 2018 and 2020 to charitable recyclers diverting used items from landfill and recovering them for recycling and reuse. The program aimed to reduce illegal dumping and littering, and to prevent unusable items – which ultimately end up in landfill – being left at donation sites. The program supported demonstration projects that implemented and evaluated methods to reduce illegal dumping and littering and continue to encourage positive behaviour change.
Activities funded by the dumping reduction program included:
Purchase and installation of equipment or infrastructure
- signage
- collection bin replacement or refurbishment
- exterior sensor lighting
- optical surveillance devices
- fencing and gates
- expansion of interventions trialled in previous dumping reduction programs
Development and implementation of communication tools and initiatives
- behaviour change communications campaigns
- advertising to promote behaviour change
From 2018 to 2020 the Waste Authority funded four Western Australian charities to help reduce dumping at charitable recycling sites:
- Good Samaritan Industries received funding to supply and install optical surveillance and theft proof padlocks
- St Vincent de Paul received funding to refurbish (painting and new signage) and repair damaged donation bins
- Alinea Inc in partnership with Good Samaritan Industries received funding to install sensor lighting and optical surveillance equipment at four collection sites in the metropolitan area
- Anglicare WA received funding to purchase and install ten high security donation bins at four sites in the metropolitan area
Research findings were circulated through Charitable Recycling Australia (WA).