Kay Littlejohn has volunteered at the same op shop in Leongata for more than 40 years and has seen just about everything that comes through the door.
Most of the donations she’s handled have been decent, but she’s used to the bad ones.
“Dirty unwashed clothes, weird dead cats in trash cans, things like that,” she said.
Most donations are thoughtful and clean, but the bad ones are really bad.
“One week you might have a bag full of really scary stuff, and the next week you might be OK,” Littlejohn said.
Bed bugs and beyond
It was revealed last week that the Daylesford Community Op Shop had been forced to close and clear stock following the following incidents: ‘Abominable’ donation infested with bed bugs It shocked op shop enthusiasts across the country.
Michelle Clifford, who volunteers at a shop in central Victoria, told Statewide Drive Victoria that bedbugs were not the only example of “horrifying” donations.
Michelle Clifford said small surgical shops with fewer resources depend on the integrity of donations. (Provided by: Raquel Stevens)
“We had dirty diapers, we had torn and broken items, we had smelly items, we had wet items,” she said.
“I have to say people are using us, and all the other op shops in this state, just as a place to get rid of things.
”There was a donation where you could see people donating human waste.”
This is not a new problem. A 2020 pinned post at the top of Op Shop’s Facebook page outlines the cost of insufficient donations and implores customers to do the right thing.
The bed bug infestation brought the issue into the spotlight, and the community has since rallied to support the operating room.
DAYLESFORD COMMUNITY OP SHOP has closed after receiving a donation that was infested with bed bugs. (Provided by: Melissa Jones)
Clifford said more than $11,000 was raised in one week, enough to cover expenses through February as fumigation continues.
She said she hopes the Daylesford Community Op Shop will reopen in March.
Michelle Clifford says Op Shop volunteers are resilient. (Provided by: Michelle Clifford)
Terrible “Lucky Dip”
Sue Caldwell said she was “not at all surprised” when she heard about the incident.
A Wonthaggi resident spent four years volunteering at a surgery shop to raise money for a local animal shelter.
“There were a lot of things I didn’t like…I definitely had to wear gloves,” she said.
On one memorable occasion, she found several pet beds abandoned at the back door of the store, “rotting and emitting a foul smell.”
Charitable Reuse Australia says 86 per cent of donations from op shops are put to use. (ABC News: Harlin Kaur)
“God knows where all these bedding were, but they were so bad we could hardly pick them up,” she said.
“Why would you take that to a surgical store?”
Caldwell said that on some days, unusable donations far outweighed suitable donations, and she often found dirty clothes.
”You won’t know until you open it because it can get into dishes, cutlery and other clothing…it’s like a lucky dip.”
She said her long career in law enforcement has made her “pretty tough” in the face of unexpected events.
“It was very rewarding in the end because it was for a good cause. So you put up with this and went home and had a cup of tea.”
The Red Cross recommends handing over donations in-store to avoid dumping and confusion. (Provided by: Australian Red Cross)
Call for responsible donations
Charitable Reuse Australia is a national membership organization that champions Australia’s op shops and other ‘reuse businesses’.
According to the report, 14% of the 310,000 tonnes of clothing donated to op shops each year is considered waste and sent to landfill.
in spite of Damping problem Despite the problem of an influx of donations and regular store closures, Charitable Reuse Australia insists the sector has the capacity to take on much more.
Australian Red Cross retail director Richard Wood said most donors had good intentions.
Richard Wood said most donations will be transferred in January. (Provided by: Australian Red Cross)
“The most common problem we experience is water damage, so it’s important that goods are not left outside the store overnight,” he told Victorian Statewide Mornings.
For Leongatha’s Kay Littlejohn, volunteering at the surgery shop has been overwhelmingly positive.
There is only one message she wants to convey to as many people as possible.
“Please respect our staff and think twice before you throw horrible things at us,” she said.