National Waste Reporting 2013
FACTSHEET – CHARITABLE RECYCLING ORGANISATIONS1
NACRO
NACRO is the peak body representing charitable collection, sorting, reuse and recycling
organisations throughout Australia.
All NACRO members are charities that collect post-consumer waste to either redistribute to
those in need or to fund their programs. Charitable recyclers receive donations through three
main streams; donations by way of street corner donation bins, drop-offs at op shops, and
direct home collection.
Collectively, NACRO members operate thousands of op shops around Australia and are the
largest and oldest recycling cohort in the country.
Through its website and awareness campaigns, such as National Op Shop Week, NACRO
seeks to educate the public to donate goods responsibly to enable the delivery of community
programs.
Charitable recycling ― Reuse, Recycle and Return to the community.
The charitable recycling sector is integral to the
way Australians conserve resources and
minimise waste. In Australia, Charitable
Recyclers are the principal agents for the reuse
of household items that would have otherwise
been municipal solid waste (MSW).
In 2009, Australians donated 254 000 tonnes of
unwanted clothing and household goods to
charitable recyclers. Of this, 86 000 tonnes were
reused by the community, either given to those in
need or sold through more than 3000 charity op
shops across the country. A further 59 000
tonnes of goods were exported for use in
developing countries and 21 000 tonnes were
recycled, including conversion to wiper rags by
social enterprise groups.
In 2012, total volume of donations was estimated at around 300 000 tonnes. Analysis of how
donations are used shows that while there has been a general increase in reusable and
recyclable donations, there has been a significant decrease in goods for export. The
increasing prevalence of commercial recycling schemes, including commercial recycling bins
and clothing bags, has reduced the stock available for export by charitable recyclers.
1
This information is taken from a NACRO submission to the National Waste Report 2013 dated July 2013
1
Figure 1 Destination of donations to charitable recyclers in 2009 and 2012 (tonnes)
Some donations cannot be effectively reused or recycled and are disposed to waste. Since
2009, there has been a corresponding increase in the volume of material disposed to landfill
by charity recyclers with the increased volume of donations.
There has also been a very significant increase in illegal dumping of waste at charity
recyclers since 2009. This illegal dumping has offset gains in reuse and recycling of
donations. It is estimated that 40 per cent of the material charity recyclers are now
disposing to waste arises from illegal dumping.
Figure 2 Breakdown of use of donations for 2009 and 2012
Each year, charitable recyclers process and sort around 2 billion donated items nationally.
The role and value of charitable recyclers in Australia’s waste management system cannot
be overstated.
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The role of charitable recyclers
Historically, charitable recycling in Australia evolved in a uniquely Australian way to meet the
challenges faced by the developing nation. Australia has frequent natural disasters,
geographically isolated communities and a strong desire to help those in need. Long before
the term recycling, even before Federation, Australian charities took on the responsibility to
redistribute clothing and household goods to those in need.
Figure 3 Salvation Army facilities (late 1800’s)
In times of crisis, Australian communities turn to charitable recyclers to provide much
needed material aid. Red Cross, Salvation Army, Society of St Vincent de Paul and the
Brotherhood of St Laurence, to name a few, are the first organisations called on by
Australian state governments to help when families are displaced by bushfire and flood.
Charitable recyclers invest heavily in the organisation and infrastructure to support the
collection, sorting, stockpiling and distribution of clothing and household goods.
Figure 4 Donations at a Victorian warehouse after the Black Saturday bushfires, February 2009
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The purpose of charitable recycling is to clothe those in need and to raise money for
charitable programs. It also provides work opportunities for the disadvantaged, volunteer
roles in the community, low cost shopping options and diversion from land fill. It is highly
valued by the community and is enabled and protected by state and federal laws.
It is a large and multi-faceted community service, managed by a cohort of thousands of
dedicated recyclers. All operate within complex, less than prescriptive, environments.
Activities can be restricted by state zoning regulations and space, staff and volunteers may
be highly qualified or untrained, they may be able-bodied or have disabilities. Such things
determine what can and cannot be accepted and when.
One of the distinctive characteristics of the sector is its significant workforce of volunteers
who offer their time, talent and energy without expectation of reward other than the
satisfaction of giving back to the community, for social enjoyment or for work experience
to help gain paid employment. Volunteers carry out roles specific to both charitable
recycling and the provision of welfare services. In addition to more than 2 500 full– and
part–time staff, the sector depends on more than 70 000 volunteers performing a variety
of roles including collection, sorting, administration, management and fundraising
Effect of waste management policy
By its very nature, charitable recycling will have items to dispose to waste. Aside from
illegal dumping, some donations cannot be effectively reused or recycled and
donations can become damaged.
Figure 5 Illegal dumping at charitable recyclers
The charitable recycling sector is
increasingly affected by illegal
dumping. While not all charities or
locations are affected equally, the
single largest contributing factor
identified by charitable recyclers has
been the imposition of increased
landfill levies.
An unintended consequence of state
government policies to improve
waste management has been the
diversion of waste from lawful
disposal onto charitable recyclers.
Residents and businesses are
illegally dumping at charitable
recyclers to avoid paying tip fees and
landfill levies.
The effect on charitable recyclers has been twofold. In addition to the increased cost of
disposing of unusable donations, there has been a significant increase in illegal dumping of
litter at donation points and charity op shops.
In a survey by NACRO of Victorian charitable recyclers in July 2013, 100 per cent of
respondents said that illegal dumping, both at charity stores and clothing donation bins on
council or private land, was greater or considerably greater than three years ago and
attributed this to substantial increases to the landfill levy over this period. 90 per cent of
respondents continue to receive dumped e–waste, with 60 per cent saying there has been
little or no change since the introduction of e–waste product stewardship legislation.
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Each Australian state has taken a different approach to landfill levies and has addressed the
concerns of charitable recyclers in different ways. In NSW and the ACT, charities are
exempted from paying the levy, Queensland has no levy and in WA the levy is comparatively
small.
In 2012, the Victorian state government provided funding to charitable recyclers to offset
the increased costs they were experiencing and to fund research into the treatment and
causes of illegal dumping.2 This program is currently ongoing.
Figure 6 Cost of waste disposal as a percentage of sales (Salvos Stores, 2013)
A study by Salvos Stores in Victoria in 2013 showed that the cost of waste disposal, which
had been constant for many years at around 1.8 per cent of sales, began to increase
markedly after the changes to the Victorian landfill levy from 2010. The study showed that
the cost of waste disposal rose to nearly double what had been expected prior to the
increases. It is now more than 3.5 per cent of sales and is expected to continue to rise (see
Figure 6). The cost includes waste contractor charges and self-haul tip fees. It does not
include the cost of sorting, clearing and transferring the material.
Disposal to waste
For more than 10 years, Lifeline Brisbane has been recording the weekly quantity of material
(by tonne) that they have disposed to waste. Lifeline has recorded both material dumped at
donation bins and material that has been diverted to waste through their sorting and recycling
operations.
2
http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/5935-more-coalition-government-funding-relief-for-charities-hit-by-illegaldumping.html (accessed 10 December 2013)
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Figure 7 Lifeline Brisbane, 10 year waste volumes (52 week trendline)
A 52–week moving average trendline analysis (Figure 7) of the collected data shows that
while there has been a significant reduction in material going to waste because of improved
sorting and recycling operations and options, there has been a significant increase in
dumping at the clothing donation bins.
The reduced diversion to waste from sorting operations is attributed to better recycling
methods for cardboard, paper and scrap metal.
Figure 8 Lifeline Stores Brisbane, 10 year waste volumes (12 week trendline)
An analysis of the 12–week moving average trendline (Figure 8) shows seasonal variation
in both disposal to waste through sorting and illegal dumping at charity donation bins.
Seasonal variations in disposal through sorting reflect typically 20 per cent less donations
during the winter months.
Illegal dumping over summer is more than double that in the winter months. This is
consistent with the experience of charitable recyclers in other states. The data very
clearly shows increased dumping at the time of the flooding in Brisbane in both 2011 and
2012.
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Commercialising second-hand clothing through export
Global trade in second-hand clothing is growing and is now a multi-million dollar business.
The trade more than doubled between 1991 and 2004, mainly due to increased demand from
Eastern Bloc and African countries. Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show
that export of worn clothing and textiles from Australia grew nearly 50 per cent from 2008 to
2013 (Figure 9).
Figure 9 Quarterly export of worn clothing and textiles (tonnes), 2008–13 (ABS 2013)
More than 70 000 tonnes of second-hand clothing was exported from Australia last year.
The value of this business is estimated to be over $70 million and is resulting in schemes
by some commercial operators to divert donations away from bona fide charities.
Figure 10 A fraudulently labelled clothing bin
Second-hand clothing for export is usually baled in Australia and shipped as unsorted textile
waste to low labour cost countries where the goods are sorted and re-exported. Three-quarters
of all second-hand clothing exported from Australia goes to one of three primary destinations
for sorting, UAE (38 per cent), Malaysia (21 per cent) and Pakistan (14 per cent).
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Historically, charitable recyclers would sort clothing donations, retaining good quality items for
material aid or for selling in their op shops. Lesser grade goods would be sold to rag merchants
either for tearing down for other uses or to be sold overseas.
In recent years the rag merchants have increased their presence with their own clothing
recycling bins displacing those of charitable recyclers as they strive to collect tradeable stock
for export. Another scheme to solicit second-hand clothing is through the distribution of
branded clothing recycling bags, many of which are fraudulently labelled.
NACRO state that the clothing recycling bin above (Figure 10) was found to be a
fraudulently labelled, commercially operated bin. It displays Charity Operated stickers
supplied by the NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing but no other identification.
NACRO members commit to a code of practice for the operation of clothing donation bins
to ensure safe and appropriate siting and clear identification and contact information of the
organisation.
A 2012 NACRO study of seven Victorian eastern metropolitan municipalities, found that of
more than 448 clothing collection bins, only 18 per cent belonged to legitimate charitable
recyclers. The rest belonged to commercial clothing merchants.
The aggressive placement of clothing recycling bins by commercial clothing recyclers diverts
donations away from charitable recyclers. This diversion of second-hand clothing away from
charitable recyclers greatly reduces the stock available for material aid and diminishes the
charities’ ability to raise funds to support their community work.
A number of Local Government Authorities have introduced policies and local laws to
protect the placement of charity donation bins as the domain of charitable recyclers.
NACRO is actively lobbying municipal councils asking them to ensure charitable recycling
can continue to meet the needs of the community.
Summary
For more than 100 years, charitable recycling has been an integral part of Australian
society; delivering social and community programs, creating employment, providing
opportunities for volunteers and diverting reusable items of clothing and household goods
from being disposed to landfill.
Charitable recyclers depend on quality donations to either redistribute to those in need or to
sell to fund their charitable activities through more than 3000 charity op shops across the
country.
Two significant challenges faced by charitable recyclers today are the illegal dumping of
household waste at op shops, charity collections points and bins and the diversion of
donations away from charities by commercial operators seeking goods for profit.
Items such as old televisions, unusable mattresses, broken furniture and household waste
are increasingly being dumped at charity collection points. Some people in the community
are expanding their view of what constitutes a donation to suit their need to dispose of
unwanted items.
Waste authorities across the country are imposing increasingly higher costs for disposal of
waste to encourage waste producers to reduce their waste and find alternatives to landfill.
The policy of increasing landfill levies is leading to increased dumping and increased
financial burden on charitable recyclers.
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Some facts about illegal dumping at charitable recycling collection points are:

Dumping around collection points is a seasonal issue, greater in summer months and
after long weekends

Most dumping occurs during school holidays

Dumping is less during weeks of hard rubbish collection

Illegal dumping is less when charity op shops are open on Sundays
Banning recycling collection points is not the answer as it restricts donations and the
dumping will simply move to other locations. NACRO believes that education is the solution
to a change in values and behaviour in recycling post-consumer waste.
For more information on charitable recycling organisations or NACRO visit
http://www.nacro.org.au/.
The information in this factsheet was supplied by the National Association of Charitable
Recycling Organisations (NACRO) in July 2013. For more information, please contact
Kerryn Caulfield, CEO, at kerryn@nacro.org.au.
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Case Study – Endeavour Foundation
The Endeavour Foundation supports people with a disability to live in their family home, in
their community, with their friends and to make their own choices about education, working
and their whole life. It focuses on giving each person options, choice and support that is
centred on them and their life. Within this philosophy it provides a range of support options for
people of all ages.
To raise funds and to provide employment options, the Endeavour Foundation has
partnerships with a number of local government authorities, managing front end recycling
operations and selling salvageable waste in retail environments.
It operates Tip Shops in commercial arrangements with Brisbane City Council (2), Southern
Downs Regional Council (2), and Sunshine Coast Council (1). Southern Downs and
Sunshine Coast Councils also have Front End Recycling contracts with Endeavour
Foundation.
In 2011–12, these partnerships
successfully recycled 5532 tonnes of
material which comprised:

1800 tonnes cardboard

1100 tonnes paper

409 tonnes e–waste

1495 tonnes textiles

19 tonnes plastic

50 tonnes glass

219 tonnes steel

440 tonnes of general household goods via Endeavour Foundation Tip Shops.
The “dual-benefit” partnership between Endeavour Foundation and local Councils is
appreciated, particularly where supported employment opportunities for people with a
disability are delivered alongside recycling and environmental outcomes.
The Endeavour Foundation is a proud member of NACRO (National Association of
Charitable Recycling Organisations), Community Recycling Network Australia, and the
National e–Waste Alliance.
In addition to its contracts with local government authorities, Endeavour Foundation is
contracted by DHL Supply Lines to recycle eWaste at Townsville in North Queensland,
Redcliffe, North-East of Brisbane and Southport on the Gold Coast, providing meaningful
employment for people with a disability and keeping old TVs and computers from landfill.
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