Delta orders removal of donation bins
Delta: Delta Council approved the removal of donation bins from the City at the January 14, Regular Meeting. Following recent fatalities related to donation bins, Council declared donation bins as creating unsafe conditions and posing significant risks to human health and safety.
As a result of Council’s declaration, owners of donation bins in Delta have been ordered to remove their bins by January 29. Any donation bins remaining in Delta after this date will be removed by the City at the expense of the donation bin owner. “Following recent tragic events, it is important that the City take action and act quickly to protect public safety,” said Mayor George V. Harvie.
“We are seeking to immediately eliminate the risk associated with these bins until a safe alternative design can be found.”
Since November 2017, donation bins have been prohibited from Cityowned properties and rights-of-way. These regulations reduced the number of bins in Delta from approximately 80 to about 34 today. To address the issue of donation bin safety beyond the present urgent period, staff will review Delta’s bylaws and recommend potential amendments for Council’s consideration that would prohibit donation bins in Delta unless they meet a certain standard of safety. The challenge will be determining how this standard can be met, tested, and enforced so that the hazard is effectively eliminated.
Staff will examine other jurisdictions and industry to seek independently verified criteria that lead to a safe solution. Until a safe solution to donation bins has been found, the following are some options for donating used clothing in Delta.