A ONE-MAN CRUSADE against litter louts and fly tippers took another twist with an appeal to Moray Council for action.
Elgin man Pete Miners has been touring beauty spots around Moray for several years, picking up and photographing litter dumped by people – and that is not being removed by the local authority.
In his latest tirade at Moray Council’s environment and waste department, Mr Miners highlighted several “fly-tipping hot spots” where rubbish is being left to rot, blighting the countryside, beaches, woods and river banks.
A recent expedition uncovered 115 glass bottles from a passing place at Pitgaveny Wood which he photographed and send on to the local authority. He said: “The passing place has a ‘Fly Tipping Hotspot’ sign on it.
“It is 500metres east of the dismantled railway line – on the ‘C’ road between Muir of Linksfield and Wester Calcotts.
“It is the third passing place west of the railway line, and is some 100m before the crossroads with the PItairlie road. This layby area had quite obviously not been litter picked for many years.
“Glass bottles were strewn in the hedge along the road heading east away from the passing place. Many of these were half buried, and there must be loads completely overgrown/buried and still there.
“There is plenty more general rubbish in and around footpaths emanating from that passing place, including at least three car tyres – and an abandoned camp site complete with bicycle and metal trash bin.
“I know this rubbish continues in all directions from the above crossroads – 20 of the glass bottles were unopened, discarded in two rotting carrier bags.”
Mr Miners has addressed community councils as well as highlighting the issue with local councillors. He said: “I have lately gathered much bulky rubbish on the beaches between Lossiemouth and Portgordon in piles up the beach, often tied together, awaiting collection one day.
“I believe these should be set up officially, maybe with tall flagposts to alert approaching walkers who I’m sure would drag other items there.
“I was told by the Lossiemouth Community Warden that such ideas had been discussed between The Moray Council and The Crown Estates recently.”
A spokesman for Moray Council said that the issues raised by Mr Miners was of littering and fly-tipping by members of the public “who ought to have more consideration for the environment”.
He added: “The Council does not have the resources to seek out every item of rubbish which people choose to discard indiscriminately. Mr Miners is to be commended on his community-spirited actions in attempting to clear up the mess created by others.
“Unfortunately, Mr Miners tends to deposit the accumulated material in places that are inaccessible and which council vehicles and collection crews are unable to reach.”