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Original poster

AIBU to think clothing donation bins just encourage fly-tipping?

59 replies

Notyouthful · 24/07/2026 12:02

As a litter womble, I want to say that there is no need for clothing donations bins. They just create fly tipping,

Also I doubt that any of the items in the bins are suitable for sale in charity shops.

Anyone who dumps bags and other crap by these bins are fly tipping!

There have been bins removed from areas near to me and the fly tipping has gone overnight.

Take your donations which are still suitable to wear to a charity shops.

Also don’t put out bags which you get posted for clothing donations. As people with drugs or alcohol issues, have driven around the area and picking up the bags. Or the charities are bogus. As found these with company numbers and looking at them on Companies House - they are for car mechanics the other side of the Uk

If you have issues taking stuff to a charity shop, get a friend or someone who drives. Or search for charities that will pick up donations

OP posts:
ScrambledEggs12 · 24/07/2026 19:31

I put bags of clothes out in the bags that come through the doors. I don't really care where any money goes (if some does end up benefiting a charity then that's a bonus), just pleased if they can be made use of in any way. And I don't really want to drive to town and pay for parking every few weeks. But I have seen the people driving around to collect them and they don't look like they're drunk or on drugs.

Arlanymor · 24/07/2026 19:28

Notyouthful · 24/07/2026 12:24

But please don’t dump bags when the bins are full. Your donations will be scoured by people wanting to sell clothes for fast cash or get urinated/poo on by foxes etc

Show quote history

She didn’t say that though did she and from her response I bet she doesn’t, very rude to assume and make that comment. Do you work in the charity sector at all? I do. Those bins are a godsend in terms of enabling accessible donations. Maybe people in your area just don’t use them properly?

MandemChickenShop · 24/07/2026 19:26

stop buying cheap clothes in the first place

JMSA · 24/07/2026 19:25

YANBU. They always look a complete riot whenever I see them. I reckon some people (passers-by) try to pull the clothing out and just discard what they don’t want. Either that or more clothing gets dumped than can fit in the bin.

TheNinkyNonkyIsATardis · 24/07/2026 13:14

Notyouthful · 24/07/2026 12:24

But please don’t dump bags when the bins are full. Your donations will be scoured by people wanting to sell clothes for fast cash or get urinated/poo on by foxes etc

Show quote history

Well duh, of course I don't do that.

Deuce26 · 24/07/2026 13:09

Around here charities either don't accept clothes at the moment or only accept a small bag. I've recently dumped a huge amount of unworn and still tagged clothes in charity bins. I can only hope it gets used properly!

MidnightMeltdown · 24/07/2026 13:03

I give good quality clothes to charity shops. Poor quality/stained clothing goes in the donation bins because the fabric is recycled. The only alternative is to put it in landfill 🤷🏻‍♀️

Original poster
Notyouthful · 24/07/2026 12:24

TheNinkyNonkyIsATardis · 24/07/2026 12:13

Thanks for all of your advice, but respectfully, you can jog on with your ideas.

The people who operate the bins will know whether or not they're a viable method of collection. If they're losing money, they'll stop.

You can complain separately to the company or council if overflow donations are an issue.

In the meantime, I will freely use my local donation banks, charities, food banks and postal collections or doorstep bags as I see fit to my circumstances. And frankly, the fact that I can drop en route to nursery rather than trawling to the high street to have "we're not accepting menswear in size medium" snapped at me if I so much as wander towards the till at a charity is a plus that can't be bought.

But please don’t dump bags when the bins are full. Your donations will be scoured by people wanting to sell clothes for fast cash or get urinated/poo on by foxes etc

OP posts:
TheNinkyNonkyIsATardis · 24/07/2026 12:13

Thanks for all of your advice, but respectfully, you can jog on with your ideas.

The people who operate the bins will know whether or not they're a viable method of collection. If they're losing money, they'll stop.

You can complain separately to the company or council if overflow donations are an issue.

In the meantime, I will freely use my local donation banks, charities, food banks and postal collections or doorstep bags as I see fit to my circumstances. And frankly, the fact that I can drop en route to nursery rather than trawling to the high street to have "we're not accepting menswear in size medium" snapped at me if I so much as wander towards the till at a charity is a plus that can't be bought.