A proposal to organise and regulate the licensing of clothing collection containers – amid safety and aesthetic concerns – has been approved by the Southern Municipal Council.
This comes in response to growing public concerns over the unregulated spread of used clothing collection containers across residential neighbourhoods.
The proposal, submitted by councillor Mohammed Darraj, aims to bring order and accountability to a system that, while rooted in charitable work, has increasingly become associated with visual pollution, safety risks and misuse.
Mr Darraj
The council’s technical committee, chaired by Ahmed Al Abdulla, studied the proposal in detail and recommended its approval based on public appeal and alignment with urban planning laws.
“Our goal is to ensure that charity work is carried out safely, cleanly and within the framework of the law,” said Mr Darraj.
“Currently, these containers are placed randomly, distorting the public view and even obstructing drivers’ vision. We need a licensing mechanism that ensures they are installed responsibly and safely.”
Mr Al Abdulla
Perhaps the most alarming concerns voiced during the council’s review process were related to public safety, particularly the safety of children and misuse of boxes for purposes other than charity.
“The law clearly states that collection boxes should be placed near charity societies, but most often it is not so,” said council chairman Abdulla Abdullatif.
“They are everywhere – on sidewalks, in alleyways and near homes.”
He noted children have been seen trying to retrieve clothes from the containers, often with the intention to sell them. In some instances, children have even stuck their heads into the containers, which can act like ‘a guillotine’ due to the sharp and heavy metal flaps.
“In rare but horrifying cases, we’ve seen newborns abandoned in these containers,” he added.
The proposal calls for an adherence to municipal guidelines when placing the collection containers.
Under the new framework, the municipality would designate specific approved locations for collection boxes and implement licensing fees which will help increase municipal revenues while ensuring charities have a vested interest in maintaining the cleanliness and safety of the containers.
The new system would also include monitoring and enforcement, ensuring boxes are regularly emptied, not left to overflow, and do not become dumping grounds for waste or commercial resellers.
The council’s decision is backed by Article 19 and Article 20 of the 2001 Municipal Law which empower municipal councils to propose projects that protect public services, aesthetics and safety, and also outline how recommendations should be reviewed by the minister responsible for municipal affairs.
The proposal has now been formally referred to Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture Minister Wael Al Mubarak for review.
“We expect this to be a straightforward decision, because this is a proposal that protects our children, preserves our neighbourhoods and respects our charitable institutions,” said Mr Al Abdulla.
“If implemented, the regulation of used clothing collection boxes will help restore urban cleanliness, improve community safety and provide better support for legitimate charitable efforts,” he added.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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