An assistance program that will support charitable recycling organisations in Tasmania has officially been launched.
The Charitable Recycler Rebate Program will provide a rebate for landfill levy costs incurred in disposal of unusable items to landfill. Registered and approved charitable recyclers will receive a rebate of 100 per cent of the levy paid.
Environment and Climate Change Minister Roger Jaensch said the Program would help relieve landfill costs, further supporting the charitable recycling sector.
"The charitable recycling sector is often heavily impacted by illegal dumping, and the donation of items that cannot be reused or recycled must be taken to landfill," Minister Jaensch said.
"Disposing items that cannot be reused or recycled costs charities money that could be spent elsewhere, to provide their important services to the community."
Chairperson of the inaugural Waste and Resource Recovery Board, Pam Allan, said the rebate scheme was one of several assistance programs the Rockliff Liberal Government and the Board were putting in place.
"While the rebate will help offset the costs to charities, it is everybody's responsibility to take a considered approach when donating their unwanted items," Ms Allan said.
When donating unwanted items, Tasmanians are encouraged to ask themselves if they would give the item to a friend or buy it themselves, before making the donation.
Goods that are broken, unsafe, unusable or damaged will likely end up being landfilled.
Donations should only be taken to a depot during business hours. If donating at a charity bin, make sure the goods are placed inside the bin as goods left outside can be damaged.
