Litterbugs branded 'very revolting people' by Cairngorms National Park senior figure
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Litter louts have been branded ‘very revolting people’ by a Cairngorms National Park Authority member angered at the rubbish being discarded in the area.
It comes after new CNPA figures revealed that their seasonal rangers had collected 484 bin bags of litter averaging 23 bags each week between Easter and the end of last month.
Member Peter Argyle said at the latest CNPA board: “There are some very revolting people coming to the national park who certainly do not care about the environment and toss their litter all over the place.
“I do think that it is something that we need to pick up on and there are no simple solutions – certainly through our communications team if nothing else – just to get across to people how revolting they are. It really is very depressing.”
Fellow member Derek Ross said the amount of litter being flung out along the A9 and A95 was appalling.
He said: “It is a terrible waste of valuable council resources clearing the mess up. If the press are listening to this today I think they should take with them that we are highlighting this issue and the entire board condemns this kind of behaviour in the national park.
“It is very damaging to the environment and to the wildlife that lives within that environment to have so much litter being dropped. The amount of litter by the side of the A95 and the A9 is absolutely deplorable.
“Within 15 to 20 yards on some sections you could fill a couple of black bin bags with litter...
“I know that the council does its best but there are limited resources there and it is terrible waste of these.
“I know this is a bit of a rant but I think it is one that is absolutely justified.”
CNPA board member Carolyn Caddick echoed his sentiments, adding: “I know how much money is spent by the council just trying to keep on top of things. Fast food takeaway packaging seems to be a particular issue and is a constant fight.”
Board colleague John Kirk said one of the problems was that litter bins had been taken away in some areas. He said: “We need to get litter bins back in car parks. My fields are littered with rubbish.”
CNPA chief executive Grant Moir said: “This is a big issue for Scotland and it has been for too long and continues to be so and we need to try and find a way of stopping people from dropping litter.
“It is visitors, people driving through in vans but also local residents. It is not a discrete sub-set but an endemic problem.
“If there was an easy answer then we’d have come up with it by now.”
CNPA officials will look at what else can be done in time for next year’s main tourism season to try and reduce littering.
What we you like the CNPA to do to try and curb the litter problem in the Cairngorms National Park? Let us know at editorial@sbherald.co.uk or in comments
