Turning trash into treasure with the annual junk verge collection

As the verges of Kwinana pile up with junk for the annual council collection, Port Kennedy business owner Colin Powell is finding treasure among the trash and turning it into profit.

Mr Powell, a licensed second-hand dealer in computer parts, said many of his clients brought him computer hardware found in junk verge collections.

“In the last week I’ve had six PCs dropped outside my door,” he said.

Mr Powell was surprised by what people threw away.

“Computers up to seven years old can be fixed and sold on, and older models can be stripped for parts,” he said.

Mr Powell said this form of recycling meant people could pick up a complete PC package for $100.

“It gets people on a low income out of trouble and on the internet,” he said.

Mr Powell said it was not only computer parts that were valuable finds in junk verge collections.

“I know people who collect dog kennels, kids toys, bird cages — there’s a fair bit of profit in it,” he said.

Kwinana Mayor Carol Adams said 300 tonnes of junk verge material had been collected in recent weeks from Calista, Medina and Orelia.

Ms Adams warned fossickers that rummaging through verge piles was legally complex due to contractual arrangements with waste removal services.

“Residents who do wish to acquire any of the items placed out for collection should at the very least ensure they are doing so legally and with the consent of the item’s owner,” she said.