Down in the Dumps

A LARGE fly-tipping incident near the centre of Buckie has provoked an angry reaction from a local councillor. With services returning to normal after the festive break, last week saw the unwelcome discovery of a large amount of waste which had been unceremoniously dumped at the Newlands Lane recycling point in the town. Alongside bins which had been packed to the point they were overflowing, bags of rubbish lay strewn around. Electrical items, boots, toys, beer tins and catering-size drums of vegetable oil were also among the garbage left at the site. It was a sight which left Buckie Councillor Sonya Warren appalled. “I was left shocked and disgusted when I saw the state the recycling point had been left in,” she told the Advertiser. “There’s absolutely no excuse for this sort of behaviour at all, I’m afraid, it’s just appalling. “If those responsible recycled properly then there would be no need for a mess like this to be left at the recycling point. “Between the kerbside collections, commercial waste collections and local recycling centres such as Gollachy and Dallachy, there is more than adequate provision for people to dispose of their refuse and recyclables in a responsible way. “I know we’re just coming out of the festive period but that’s not an excuse – there were regular collections throughout this period. “Perhaps some people think this is some sort of act which has no consequences, but I can assure them it’s not. It diverts council workers away from other tasks to come and clean up a mess that should never have been there; this costs the council money which is in short supply. It’s wrong that this should happen and I’ve asked council officers to look at undertaking enforcement action at Newlands Lane.” A spokesperson for Moray Council said: “Unfortunately there is an ongoing fly-tipping problem in Newlands Lane in Buckie, which has seen catering-sized oil drums, electrical appliances, empty beer cans and more. “We are doing all we can to tidy up this mess – but this is a waste of valuable council resources. Flytipping is antisocial and a criminal offence which carries a significant fine, as well as being a blight on our landscape. We operate dozens of recycling centres and points, and a comprehensive trade waste service, so there is no excuse for mindless dumping of rubbish.” Fly-tipping is an offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and may result in prosecution, punishable by imprisonment or fines of up to £40,000. For more information, telephone Moray Council on 01343 557045 or visit www.moray.gov.uk Alternatively, visit www.dumbdumpers.org.uk, telephone 0845 230 4090.