{"id":339900,"date":"2025-12-10T17:56:17","date_gmt":"2025-12-10T17:56:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/339900\/"},"modified":"2025-12-10T17:56:17","modified_gmt":"2025-12-10T17:56:17","slug":"aussie-councils-two-tonne-discovery-sparks-urgent-bin-warning-overwhelmed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/339900\/","title":{"rendered":"Aussie council’s two-tonne discovery sparks urgent bin warning: ‘Overwhelmed’"},"content":{"rendered":"

An Aussie council<\/a> is urging shoppers<\/a> to pause and think before they snap up a spur-of-the-moment present for Christmas. The plea comes after authorities in Noosa, a popular tourist spot in Queensland, revealed the local tip is seeing two tonnes of clothing dumped every single week<\/a>.<\/p>\n

One in every three garments ends up in landfills across Australia within a year of being purchased, and it\u2019s taking a massive toll on the beachside town\u2019s resources, the council warned locals online this month.<\/p>\n

The amount of clothing being dumped at its Waste and Resource Recovery Centre has increased in recent years, manager Kyrone Dodd told Yahoo News Australia.<\/p>\n

\u201cCurrently we\u2019re receiving more than two tonnes each and every week, not only from residents but op shops overwhelmed with stock<\/a> they\u2019re unable to sell,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

And the problem will only get worse if people don\u2019t start slowing down their shopping habits.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven though we are recycling more than ever before, the high volume of textile waste arriving each year threatens to prematurely fill our finite landfill space,\u201d Kyrone explained.<\/p>\n

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The high volume of textile waste arriving at Noosa’s Waste and Recovery Centre each year threatens to prematurely fill the landfill space. Source: Noosa Council\/Facebook<\/p>\n

Shoppers should think twice before buying gifts this Christmas<\/p>\n

Before whipping out their wallet this silly season, Aussies should carefully consider whether the gift they\u2019ve chosen is wanted to needed, the waste centre manager continued.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn Australia, 76 million tonnes of waste is produced every year, and this amount can increase by a significant 30 per cent over the Christmas period.\u201d<\/p>\n

Noosa Council has urged shoppers who spot something they want to wait 24 hours before hitting \u201cbuy now\u201d.<\/p>\n

It could not only make a huge difference to their bank account, but the planet itself.<\/p>\n

Globally, fashion is the third largest polluting industry, after fossil fuels and agriculture, creating 10 per cent of the world\u2019s greenhouse gas emissions.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith an estimated $900 billion worth of presents set to go to waste<\/a>, consider buying people an experience, rather than an item, such as a voucher for a restaurant meal, massage or movie screening,\u201d Kyrone told Yahoo News.<\/p>\n

\u201cEncouraging loved ones to shop for second hand gifts, plants or baked goods is another great way to minimise waste this Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aussies\u2019 obsession with fast fashion grows<\/p>\n

Australia is the world’s second-biggest consumer of textiles per person<\/a> per year, behind the United States.<\/p>\n

Each resident disposes of a whopping 23 kilos of clothes annually<\/a>, roughly the weight of a school-aged child.<\/p>\n

According to environmental group Clean Up, each of us purchases almost 60 garments every year \u2014 most of which are made from non-sustainable, non-durable materials.<\/p>\n

This has led to unsightly piles of abandoned clothes<\/a> and broken household goods becoming a familiar sight outside charity shops and donation bins<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Often people just dump donations that cannot be used. Source: Facebook<\/p>\n

The organisations say the sheer volume of fast fashion they\u2019re receiving is overwhelming.<\/p>\n

Anuja Mukim from the St Vincent de Paul Society (Vinnies) told SBS<\/a> this week that some of the items they receive are stained, damaged or soiled.<\/p>\n

They are unable to be sold and therefore end up in the landfill.<\/p>\n

While others haven\u2019t even been worn.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re seeing a lot of fast-fashion brands come through new with the price tag still on,\u201d she said, noting they make up 30 per cent of all donations.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople are buying on impulse and then not wearing it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Because of this, the quality of donations has been impacted.<\/p>\n

“Fourteen per cent of clothing donations end up in landfill, and it\u2019s mostly because of fast fashion. Fast fashion isn\u2019t made to last,\u201d Anuja said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt rarely survives a second life. It\u2019s made for us to just keep consuming and moving on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

You can also follow us on Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, Twitter<\/a> and YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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