New Taipei City has once again seen counterfeit clothing donation bins. After private "homemade" bins were exposed in the Shuanghe area, a green cabinet was also found in Lane 256, Zhengyi North Road, Sanchong. It bore only a label reading "Used Clothing Donation Bin," had a distinctive appearance, was noticeably smaller than official bins, and showed no city-approved registration number on site. Residents witnessed a couple apparently collecting clothes from the bin and reported it to the New Taipei City Environmental Protection Department; the department said it would handle the matter as soon as possible and has already conducted an on-site inspection and removed the bin.

Under New Taipei City government regulations, the total number of used clothing donation bins citywide is capped at 3,000, and each bin must display a city-approved registration number. According to checks, Lane 256, Zhengyi North Road, Sanchong is not an approved installation site. When 《China Times》 earlier reported fake bins in the Shuanghe area, the Environmental Protection Department said unauthorized installations would be handled under the Waste Disposal Act.

According to the New Taipei City Guidelines for the Installation and Management of Used Clothing Collection and Reuse Facilities, the Environmental Protection Department opens applications once every four years, and all donation bins must display an approved registration number; those without one may be removed directly by district cleaning teams or handled under the Waste Disposal Act.

A nearby resident, Ms. Huang, said she had long wanted to report it. The couple comes to collect used clothes at 9 p.m. every night, and the fake bin has been there for years, leaving many neighbors in the dark and causing considerable resentment. Some residents also believe that setting up used clothing donation bins is a good thing in itself, but the government must track where the clothes ultimately go to ensure they are truly used for public welfare, so as not to betray donors' goodwill.

Social welfare groups are divided over the total volume cap. Several social welfare groups object to the government setting a total upper limit; the New Taipei City Love Association said it does not oppose total volume control, but hopes the government will provide guidance to groups operating illegal bins for public welfare purposes and help them legalize.

The problem of fake used clothing donation bins involves the legitimacy of recycling channels and public trust. For donors, the bin's approved registration number and transparency about where donated items ultimately go are becoming key information for judging whether a donation is worthwhile—this is also a gap that the used clothing recycling system needs to close at the final collection and transport stage.

Source: Exclusive／"Knockoff" used clothing donation bins deceived the public for 3 years, but New Taipei inspection team passed the buck | Column | SETN.COM · Originally published 2026-09-26