Limerick charity shops being inundated with soiled clothes

CHARITY shops are being inundated with bags of soiled and dirty clothes since the removal of clothing banks in the city.

That’s according to Social Democrats councillor Elisa O’Donovan, who urged Limerick Council to publish the options now available for people to dispose of unwanted clothing and textiles.

Speaking at September’s Metropolitan area meeting, Cllr O’Donovan told the Council executive that she has had an enormous amount of contacts from members of the public since the clothing and textile banks were removed.

“People do not know where to bring their unwanted clothing and textiles. I looked at the website over the summer, and it still had the information about the old clothes banks. I believe the only option now is to pay €7 to go into the Mungret Recycling Facility,” the City West representative commented.

“I realise there was a very serious issue with illegal dumping at those clothes banks. However, simply removing these banks doesn’t remove the textile waste that we have, it’s going somewhere else now,” she said.

“I went into the charity shops in Limerick on Saturday and they have all said to me that they have noticed an increase in people dumping soiled, dirty clothes at their doors, and then it is their responsibility to pay to get rid of this.”

Cllr O’Donovan hit out that this was an unfair burden on Limerick’s charity shops. She also said that the rise in illegal dumping in areas such as Clarina has been brought to her attention.

“There is an issue. Now we’re putting up a barrier to recycling by charging people to go into the Mungret facility, so I don’t know what the solution is, but we need to tackle the illegal dumping.”

Cllr Shane Hickey-O’Mara seconded his party colleague’s motion.

“People are driving to Clare, people are thinking ‘what are my options now?’ We’re seeing the effect it’s having on charity shops as well, which isn’t good enough,” Cllr Hickey-O’Mara insisted.

Fine Gael councillor Sarah Kiely also supported the motion, telling Council members she too has been contacted by charity shops who are seeing a huge increase in soiled clothes.

“The charity shop employees, who are volunteers, have to go through these bags, and no one wants to be doing that. No one wants to be going through anyone’s dirty clothes,” Cllr Kiely fumed.

“I do think it is regrettable that we had to remove the clothes banks, but it was inevitable because they were being abused, and that’s the simple fact of the matter. They were being abused, and it just couldn’t continue the way it was going.”

Independent councillor Ursula Gavan added: “My own charity shop is stopping receiving goods for two weeks as they just have a glut.”

The Council said that textiles and clothing are accepted at the civic amenity sites in Mungret, Newcastle West, and Kilmallock.

“We are currently updating the Council’s website to provide clear information on textile recycling options available to residents. This information will also continue to be promoted through the Council’s social media channels to ensure residents are aware of the alternatives following the removal of the textile banks.”