EPA donates over 200 uniforms to charity

EPA Victoria has teamed up with Rotary Donations in Kind (DIK), Totally Work Wear (TWW) and Fashion Biz in a partnership that will see more than 200 old EPA uniforms sent overseas to Africa and East Timor.

 L-R: Rotary DIK Secretary Bob Glindemann, EPA’s CEO John Merritt and Joseph Forte (TWW).

EPA’s new uniform rollout was the culmination of a number of key reform projects to become a modern regulator including the reauthorisation of 80 environment protection officers to ensure business and the community had the same consistent interactions and experience with EPA.

EPA’s CEO John Merritt said in the spirit of waste avoidance and recycling, the company purposefully choose a uniform supplier who could also provide a solution to avoid old uniforms from going to landfill.

EPA began the uniform re-use project earlier this year with over 200 uniforms including jackets, shirts, vests, pants, jumpers and polo shirts being collected and prepared for donation to Rotary DIK.

Rotary DIK Secretary Bob Glindemann said that the idea was borne out of sparing perfectly good corporate uniforms from becoming rags or waste.

“We distribute to 22 countries worldwide and often those in need are wearing clothes that are worn out and torn, in poor condition and unsuitable for their work and climate.

“Rotary DIK will distribute to orphanages, schools and nurses when they would otherwise have none,” he said.

“We live in a disposable society but we are becoming increasingly aware of the need to re-use and recycle. Now these uniforms are going to someone who may not have had a shirt in the first place.”