Islip tightens restrictions on clothing drop-off bins

The Town of Islip Wednesday tightened its restrictions on clothing drop-off bins, with new guidelines that will help residents identify which benefit charities and which do not.

Under a town code change adopted by the Islip Town board, nonprofit organizations applying for a clothing bin permit must now supply documents including a letter from the Internal Revenue Service certifying its nonprofit status and a letter from the organization stating that at least 25 percent of the revenue obtained from the bin is donated back to the nonprofit.

A town permit, affixed to each bin, will identify whether the collection is a for-profit or not-for-profit enterprise.

Islip first tackled the issue in 2008, when it cracked down on misleading clothing bin labels by introducing a permit process and requiring owners to disclose their names and addresses on the bins.

Wednesday's code change goes further to help would-be donors distinguish between real charities and recyclers profiting from people's urge to give, said Alex Fezza, executive director of the Bay Shore-based nonprofit Breast Cancer Health Inc.

The new requirements will "make it much easier for us and more difficult for for-profits," he said at the board meeting Wednesday. Fezza said his organization had purchased a digital mammography unit for Southside Hospital in part with money raised from clothing bins.

A nonprofit must now pay $100 for an annual permit that covers all clothing bins the organization places within the town. For-profit groups, meanwhile, must pay $100 per bin per year.

Also Wednesday, the Islip board changed some of its shellfish restrictions, shortening the fishing season for scallops by about two weeks and amending the limit on oyster size.

Under the new rules, scallops may be collected from the first Monday in November until March 31.

Previously, the town set a minimum oyster size of 5 inches, calculated by adding the length and width. The town now stipulates that no more than 5 percent of each bushel consist of oysters less than 3 inches measured at the longest diameter.

The town board Wednesday also voted to begin the environmental review process for a sports complex planned in Central Islip.