Changhua clothing donation box overwhelmed by garbage as cleaners use cameras to identify offenders

A used-clothing donation box in Hemei Township became a dumping site, prompting the local cleaning team to issue a sharp warning and turn to surveillance footage to identify the people responsible.

The box at Hemei's Hezhong Plaza was intended for residents to donate second-hand clothing. Instead, people left bags of household garbage and dirty items around it. The waste created an unbearable mess, foul smells and conditions that could attract mosquitoes and other insects.

The same plaza was hit by a similar problem in June, when more than 20 bags of garbage were dumped there. Much of it was unsorted and included food waste. Under the hot sun, the waste produced strong odors that made passersby cover their noses.

The cleaning team said the donation box is not a free garbage site and that it would no longer tolerate behavior that damages the public environment. It said nearby surveillance footage had been reviewed and specific offenders identified. Officials vowed to investigate the matter fully and impose penalties.

The team said indiscriminate dumping violates Article 27 of Taiwan's Waste Disposal Act. Anyone found responsible can receive a citation and a fine of up to NT$6,000. Continued noncompliance can bring repeated penalties.

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How could a donation box become a garbage bin? That is completely unacceptable!