By CHERIE DONNELLAN
A NEW State Government initiative against illegally dumped rubbish has snubbed a North Geelong Salvation Army store despite its reputation as “one of the worst” for dumping.
Salvos waste and sustainability manager Donald Munro said the joint study between Monash University and with State Government decided against including the North Geelong store because it already had security cameras.
But Mr Munro said the store was spending $42,000 a year removing rubbish because cameras were inadequately positioned.
“We haven’t got the cameras in a proper place to identify number plates of the stream of people dropping off rubbish.”
Mr Munro said the study would help find ways to combat dumping, which mostly occurred late Sunday nights and early Monday mornings.
“We’ve got footage of people dumping stuff at one, two and three in the morning.
“We’ve got a 4.5-cubic-metre bin on the site that a rubbish contractor empties for us and he has to do that three or four times on Mondays.”
Mr Munro said Salvos management considered erecting fencing around the North Geelong store but worried customers might think it resembled “a prison”.
“We’re mindful that we want to create a friendly atmosphere for customers and genuine donators.”
State Government announced last week that 38 Salvation Army and Vinnies stores would share in $500,000 funding to trial illegal dumping prevention measures.
Environment Minister Ryan Smith said “fences, cameras, surveillance systems, sensor lighting and a raft of signage” would be trialled over three months.
