GLACE BAY, N.S. -- Many charities have stopped collecting clothing bin donations, but in some areas that hasn't stopped the items from piling up.

Along with items, some people are dumping household waste and they are leaving non-profits to foot the bill.

Thursday was clean-up day for some employees at Canadian Tire in Glace Bay, but this is not the job they signed up for.

Donation bins in their parking lot have been overloaded with items -- some charitable -- other bags full of household waste.

"I wish I could say I'm surprised, but I'm not," said Pam Leader, a board member with the Town House Citizens Service League.

Leader is dealing with the same problem at Town House, a non-profit organization which offers programs to improve the quality of life in the community.

Outside their facility, a broken car seat and a box full of clothes are scattered all over the ground.

"They're not doing this out of the goodness of their heart to donate them, because if they were going to donate them they would read all the things and see most of these places are not taking clothes or household items," Leader said.

Signs have now been posted on the donation bins, which are the property of Diabetes Canada.

The organization is not accepting donations because of the pandemic, and is asking people to hold on to their items until pick up service resumes.

Pictures of the mess have been shared hundreds of times on the Cape Breton Environmental Association's Facebook page.

"When I seen this, it was heartbreaking," said Dylan Yates. "It's really disgusting behaviour when you see this type of material dumped at a donation bin."

Cape Breton Regional Police say anyone caught dumping garbage illegally will be prosecuted and could face a fine of nearly $700. For now, not-for profit groups are saddled with the cost of having the messes cleaned up.

"You may be able to get away with one garbage trip a week when you're open," Leader said. "But when you're closed and your staff is laid off. The last thing you need is another cost of garbage, when you're not producing that garbage."

A local roofing company donated their flatbed to have the mess hauled away. Many are hoping this problem will go away, too.