Unwanted garbage is starting to pile up at some Maritime thrift stores and the owner of one store says the cost to remove the garbage is nearly double the shop’s profit.
The not-for-profit thrift store in Sydney Mines, N.S. helps adults living with disabilities and relies on donations from the community, but store manager Ellen Keagan says people are using the shop as a dumping ground for garbage.
“We used to use one dumpster every three to four weeks,” says Keagan. “Now we’re using one a week. That’s how much garbage is being dropped off.”
Customer Carolyn Sampson visits the store on a regular basis and says she is surprised by some of the items people are leaving at the shop.
“I’m disgusted for the inconsideration of people,” she says. “I’ve been here when there’s stoves dropped off in the night. I’ve been here when they open the bins and it’s pure garbage.”
The Salvation Army in Sydney is dealing with a similar problem. It had to remove its donation boxes because people were dropping off garbage, and it was costing the organization too much to remove the junk.
“It was a drop-off point for their household garbage,” says Nicole MacLean. “They would set them on fire, vandalize them, crawl inside them and tear up the donations. Whatever was in there was no good when we got to it.”
MacLean says the only way to try and stop the problem is to educate people.
“We try to make people aware that we do receive a lot of garbage and it’s expensive,” she says.
Keagan says she wants people to realize they are hurting others in their community each time dump their junk at the store in Sydney Mines.
“If you wouldn’t take it and give it to your family member, don’t drop it here,” she says. “Put it where it belongs, in the right place.”
With files from CTV Atlantic's Kyle Moore
